Thoughts of a Broken Family,
by BleedingSaro
Summary: A story of a young Uchiha girl, who grew up living with a single mother. All her life, a great shadow has loomed over her a shadow that is the mystery of her father. Who is he? Where is he? And, if ever she should meet him, will he be forgiven? R&R plz.
1. My LIfe

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Chapter One- Introduction**

**Saeko- 8 years old (Present Tense)**

My name is Saeko Haruno. For as long as I can remember (which is practically my whole life), I've been raised by my single mother, Sakura Haruno. Her friends and people at the hospital helped –help- out, including Shizune, Tsunade, Tenten, Hinata, and Ino… And so on. Ever since I was old enough to walk and speak and knew what _chakra _was, I have attended the Konoha Ninja Academy.

But, I've only been there for three years.

In the eight years that I have been alive, I have never known –or even met, for that matter- my father. At least, not as far as I can remember, which, as I said before, is pretty far back.

But you know what… I've never really missed him. But, then again, how can you miss someone who you know nothing about. Mom never talks about him, and, more surprisingly, she doesn't seem depressed, as one would expect. She walks through the streets every day, with her head held high. Then she goes to work, and always picks me up on time after school (if I don't walk home with my friends). And at home, she's nice and caring and always has time for me. She always listens to me when I need to talk, and talks when I want to listen.

I do, sometimes, think of my father –whoever he is-. On these rare occasions, I find myself wondering if my mom really misses him somewhere deep down in her heart. Did she love him? Did he love her? Did he leave, or is he dead? Had he ever seen me? Where was he now? And, of course, will I ever meet him?

Even if I didn't, I figured, I'd be ok. But still, what if mom missed him? Had he walked out on her? Was he even like that? Surely, whoever he was, he wouldn't have been cruel enough to just _leave. _

"Hey, Saeko! Wake up! Earth to Saeko!"

I blink, suddenly aware of everything around me. Toshi, Kane, Kiyoshi, and Takeshi are standing around my desk; the group of boys that I have always chosen to hag out with over the rest of the girls. I was a major tomboy, which was rare in the academy. According to the other girls, I only hung out with them to get attention, or that I liked one of them, but it wasn't true. Besides, I was only eight and was more interested in sports and training then flirting.

That sets me apart.

"I'm sorry, what now?" I ask, looking at Kane. Being the oldest (due to his low grades). he is our sort of self-elected leader, though I had often heard the boys say that they would rather have me as captain. Not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty tough for a girl.

Kane rolled his eyes and turned away. "Time to go," he said, and my eyes went wide.

I had done it again. The last three hours had gone by in a torrent of thoughts about my father, and I hadn't even taken a single note. I looked down at my blank notebook and sighed. Mom was going to kill me.

Not really, though. She wasn't strict enough. People often said that that was a good thing, but I found it pretty boring sometimes.

"You comin'?" Toshi asked. I nodded and stood up, following after them with my notebook in hand.

**A Few Minutes Later**

"What's _with _you lately?" Kane asks, kicking the ball over to me. I kick it back, and then turn around to walk backwards, with my hands folded across my chest. Of course, I'm walking at the front, since we _always _walk in the same formation, so I'm facing all the boys as we continue through the forest, on the path home.

"Nothing," I tell him. Really, I didn't think there was anything wrong. Sure, I was wondering about my mystery dad more and more often, though I honestly couldn't tell you why. "Why, does it seem like something's wrong with me?"

Kane kicks the ball to Toshi, who kicks it into the air. Kiyoshi jumps up, bouncing the ball on his head, and then it flies over to Takeshi, who, obviously, is also lost in thought, since he doesn't see it coming.

"Ow! What was that for?!" He rubs the top of his head fervently, glaring daggers at Kiyoshi, whose eyes are already watering from laughter. Kane snickers, and Toshi just shrugs and continues watching. I'm the only one who isn't laughing- I know what it's like to be caught off guard.

Besides, Takeshi comes from the family with the most 'problems', so it's only natural that he is lost in thought. The last news that I heard of his family, their had been a terrible fight between his parents, and his mom had been seen the next day, wearing long-sleeved clothes (it was the middle of summer) and dark glasses. I felt guilty, being a little sorry for myself about not knowing my dad. Takeshi, and so many others, had much worse things to worry about.

With a sigh, I turn, and Takeshi and I start walking to catch up with the others.

"I can't believe how much homework she gave us!" Toshi was saying, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Seriously," Kiyoshi, who was still choking from laughter, replied. "I mean, what, with tests coming up and all."

I gulped at his last sentence. Not only I had not taken notes today, but I had not taken notes when tests were right around the corner.

"Ah, who cares?" Kane said. "No one's gonna study for them anyway." By anyone, he meant himself. In his point of view, the world revolved around him and everyone should just bow down and give him his way.

Kane Sasaki was just like that. Stubborn, arrogant, greedy, a major bully. I laughed out loud, picturing him after he graduated (_if _he ever graduated, that was), picking on the Academy students. He heard me and turned around, as if he _knew _I was laughing at him. "What's so funny?" I shrugged, and we went on. Kane's family had been transferred from Iwagakure, for reasons unknown. _He was probably an embarrassment to his own village_, I told myself. It was all I could do to not break out into another fit of giggles.

Takeshi, as I said, came from a bad family. His last name was Takahaski (which went really well with his first name, I thought). But, I figured he had changed his name. Or his mother had changed his name for him, due to the bad history of their family. He was a sad kid, and quiet. Which brings me to Kiyoshi Inuzuka, Takeshi's exact opposite.

Kiyoshi, like me, was an only child. His mother is Temari from Sunagakure, his dad Kiba Inuzuka, of Konohagakure. According to mom, those two had been the _least _expected to ever get together. But, they had, and they brought into this world the lovely bundle of joy, Kiyoshi. Note the sarcasm. As I had heard, 'Kiyoshi' meant 'quiet', but he was anything but quiet. On the contrary, he was hyper, and no matter what the situation, he could make us –well, me, at least- smile. Though sometimes, I add, he is a hard-headed idiot, like I've heard his dad is. He has a pet dog, named Akihito, which meant bright. (As I'll tell you later, this was also due to Kiyoshi's sense of humor.)

Toshi Yamanaka. Son of Shikamaru and Ino Nara. Lazy, like his dad, at times, and loud like his mom at other times. If the couch isn't available (AKA- Taken by Shikamaru), he likes to venture out and disappear for hours on long walks. He doesn't talk much, and there's really not too much to say about him. Besides the fact that he finds his recently born baby sister, Satoru. I think she's adorable.

So I guess that leaves me. Yay. Once again, note the sarcasm. I won't lie, I'm a really sarcastic person (in case you hadn't noticed). I've already told you about my family, so I guess I'll get right down to my personality. For the most part, I'm quiet. I try –most of the time, I fail- to be nice and cheerful, but most of the time, I'm mute and indifferent. Oh yeah, and I have a rival.

Her name? Suzume Yamaguchi. Seriously, just _saying _her name makes me shiver. I don't know much about her family, except that her dad travels and her mom works at a shop across town, part-time. But, her family isn't the main focus here. She is. I figure that I better tell you all about her, though it's gonna make my blood boil. Ok, moving along now… But seriously, I hate her. She's the biggest preppy, girly-girl that ever walked the face of this earth. We're only eight, but still, I can tell what she'll be like when she grows up. At first, when we met, we were friendly towards each others, and unlike Ino Yamanaka and my mom, this rivalry is not over a guy. It's just a constant struggle for superiority. And I'm as determined as she is to win.

Honestly, I could go on for days about how I loathe her, but I figure, with another paragraph about her, you'll leave, so anyways…

"You're awful quiet."

I blinked, to see Kiyoshi hanging upside down from a tree, his face barely an inch away from mine. Our eyes were connected for a brief moment, and then I drew away, shocked from the sudden lack of personal face. He cocked an eyebrow (which made me laugh, since it was funny the way he did it upside down.) His dirty-blonde hair hung upside down, almost long enough to make him look like a girl. I figured Temari would cut it soon (though he'd resist violently).

"No, I'm not."

"Yeah, you are."

Despite the fact that I had been standing still for probably ten minutes, I just then realized that we had stopped, and I criticized myself for being so slow.

"What's on your mind?" Kane asked, flopping down. I shrugged. _Yeah, like you care. _

"Liar."

"How can I be a liar?" I demanded, gritting my teeth. "I didn't even _say _anything!" Kane flinched from my sudden outburst, and my eyes went wide. I never, ever blurted out like that. Not without the release of long-term, built-up anger. As far as I knew, I hadn't been mad all day. I shook my head, a hand coming to my mouth.

"Dude, what's with _you?" _Kane jumped up, so that he was towering over me.

"I don't know," I told him, but I wasn't about to say I was sorry. I never said I was sorry. I guess it was a 'pride' thing. And _that, _I knew, had to come from my dad. Just like my dark, almost black hair had to have. I had often used my hair as a clue, and gone to the library to see if I could find identical hair-colors in books. Of course, I didn't.

"You are such a _girl,_" he hissed, flopping back down. I ignored his 'insult' and dug out my notebook.

"Hey, did anyone here _actually _take notes?" I asked, looking at everyone except Kane. Takeshi was still spacing out, so no response came from him. Toshi shrugged. "I don't see the point in all that effort," he said. "A drag, really."

I looked pleadingly over at Kiyoshi, which started a staring contest. That was his way of saying, if I won, I could see the notes. Though he was silly, he made good grades. Normally, I did too.

Everyone watched, making faces and waving their hands in the air as they tried to distract us. I felt the game to be extremely hard: just _looking _at Kiyoshi made me want to laugh. And no, I don't mean that his face was funny or anything. In fact, he was rather…. Never mind.

I tried hard to focus, but I felt the corners of my mouth twisting into a smile, and I bit my lower lip, trying to bite back the laughter and failing miserably. I caved, and started giggling.

"You lose," he said.

"Oh, come on!" I choked out. "You know that's not fair!'

He shrugged and closed his eyes. "Whatever."

Sighing, I did something that was also extremely rare. From me, that is.

"_Please?"_

He cracked one eye open, his dark eyes meeting my own emerald ones. For emphasis, I weaved my fingers together and clasped my hands together tightly, sticking out my bottom lip pleadingly. For a second, I thought he was going to grin, but he turned away, acting all cool. That was hard for him, since he was such a goofball.

"Kiyoshi, come on! I'm serious!"

He tossed the notebook over and I grinned. "Thank you!"

Of course, his hand writing sucked –all boys' handwriting sucked-, and it took me almost an hour to copy the single page. Obviously, I hadn't missed much.

We all stood, and I quickly jotted down the last note as the sun began to cast tree-shadows (as I had called them) over the path. Though then again, it's a park in the middle of the forest. There's gonna be tree-shadows.

"Here ya go." I handed the notebook back to Kiyoshi. "Thank you!"

"Whatever." He was still trying to act cool and indifferent –like I behaved most of the time-, but I saw him turn his head to hide a grin.

**That Night**

"Oh, hey honey…" Mom looked tired when I walked in the kitchen, but that wasn't rare. Working as a single mom was probably pretty hard.

"Hi, Mom," I walked over and hugged her, trying to make her brighten up. She reached down and patted my head, tousling my hair.

"How was your day?"

I shrugged, yawned, and stretched. "It was ok," I said. "You?"

She sighed. "Busy. There were a lot of patients today. But, there's been worse. Do you have any homework?"

I nodded. "Yes, ma'am. A lot."

Mom went over to the counter for a minute. I could hear dishes clanking together and the opening of the oven, but I wasn't paying attention. In fact, I was thinking about my 'missing' father. I really had no idea why I had been thinking of him so often lately, I just was. I mean, surely it's natural that a girl being raised by a single mother wonders who her father is. Right?

The rest of the meal went by in silence, and I was hasty to clean my plate, grab my bag, and retreat up to my room.


	2. Changes

"You're acting all weird again today," Toshi said to me at lunch, when we were all sitting under our usual towering tree on the far side of the campus. I let out a bored sigh, cracked one eye opened, and waved him away coolly. He glared at me before turning and rejoining the rest of the group, on the other side of the tree.

I could hear them speaking from where I sat. "Seriously, what's up with her?"

"I dunno. Something at home, maybe?"

"Or maybe you should just stay out of it."

My eyes flew open when I heard Takeshi speak up. Once again, he'd been as silent as me all day. And Takeshi was _never _one to just talk to people like that. But then again… I see why talking about family problems _would _upset them. Sighing, I stood, pretended to brush something away from my shoulder, and walked over to stand in front of them all.

"Look here," I said. "You guys just need to shut up. One more word of it and I'll knock you all senseless." I glared at each of them in turn. Toshi flinched. Takeshi looked down at the ground sheepishly, as if I had been yelling at him in particular. For some reason, Kiyoshi just stared right at me, which kind of freaked me out. But Kane, of course, didn't flinch. Or so he 'claimed'. But I saw him. In one fleeting moment, he thought I was going to knock the crap out of him.

When they all looked up at me again, I turned and stalked off, arms folded across my chest. I hadn't meant to snap at them, really. But still, when they won't leave you alone about a personal problem, it's pretty annoying.

The rest of that day went by painfully slow. I forced myself to try a little harder, managing to fill up the first quarter of my notebook page with notes. Of course, it was one of those days where we _probably _should have written down three whole pages. Mom wasn't going to be happy when she saw me come home with little to no notes.

After the bell rang, I took my time, lingering in the classroom for a few extra moments before trudging along wearily to my locker, and then emerging outside in what was once a bright and sunny day. Clouds now covered to sky; the distant rumble of thunder threatened an eminent downfall. I sighed. _Great. Just what I need. _The whole day had been a negative bowl of ice cream, and the rain would only serve as the blackened cherry on the top. The guys didn't wait for me, since they pretty much knew I wasn't coming anyway. They were the last people I wanted to talk to now.

So I held my books to my stomach, and started to run as the first few drops of rain began to fall. I would go see Ayami! She would probably know something.

Ayami was the daughter of Kakashi and Kurenai Hatake. Four years my senior, she was like the older sister I always wanted but could only dream of. Smart, tough, pretty, talented, brave… I don't think there's a (positive) word that doesn't quite fit her. In my opinion, she's the picture of perfection. And just the one I want to see after a long day of thinking of a certain someone.

When I knocked on the door, Kurenai opened it. I bowed my head, greeted her, and asked if Ayami was around, and she sent me upstairs. "Thank you," I said, walking past her, to the second floor, down the hallway, and then knocking on the last door.

"Come in."

She seemed almost surprised to see me standing there, sopping wet and breathing heavily. I watched her as she silently held up her finger, walked past me and disappeared across the hallway. She came back with a towel, which she placed on my head from behind. I giggled, which was an accomplishment already.

"So," she said, flopping down on her bed, folding her arms behind her head, and casting me a sideways glance. "What brings you here? I frowned as I remembered my exact reason for coming and asked if I could sit down at the foot of the bed. She nodded, and I did so.

"Well, actually… I've been thinking about my dad."

Her eyes widened slightly, and she quickly looked away. "Oh yeah? What about him?"

Obviously, she wasn't too keen to talk about it. Though I couldn't tell you why. Scratching my head, I grinned out over at her door, staring blankly ahead of me as I spoke. "Well, in truth, I was wondering if you knew anything about him."

She sighed and stood up. "Come on," she said, and left the room.

I looked down at the full bowl, no longer steaming, that sat on the counter before me. Next to me, Ayami was already finishing up, and thanking the man behind the counter and paying. I quickly reached down to find some money in the little pouch I wore around my waist, but she shook her head.

"No, I got it. Hurry up and eat, before it gets even colder." When I stared at her blankly, she smiled and quickly added, "We'll talk in a minute."

That was all the encouragement I needed. I downed the noodles so quickly that the remaining heat in them hit me at once, and I could have sworn I could breath fire. A violent fit of coughing ensued, and she kept banging her fist into my back as I leaned over with my elbows on the bar and m y hands on my head.

"You alright?" she asked, when I finally stopped. My throat still burned, and my eyes were watering, but I nodded and gratefully accepted the glass of water she was holding out to me. When the burning finally went away, we thanked the man again and emerged into the rain-soaked streets.

I walked with my arms folded across my chest and my eyes fixed solely on the ground before me. Silently, she led me through the throngs of rain jacket-clad people, and we carefully making sure to splash through every puddle. Ayami was my role-model, my icon, my fantasy sister. She was rebellious and tough, and the biggest tomboy ever. I swear, she put _me _to shame.

"So…" she said. "You said you wanted to know about him, right?"

I looked up. So she did know! Silently, I nodded. "Yeah…"

With a sigh, she made a sort-of pouting face, looked up at the sky, closed her eyes, and sighed again. As if the next words she was going to speak had to be carefully chosen. Finally, I blinked, and she nodded. "Ok, well. I don't know _too _much. All I know is that… he knew my dad."

He knew the semi-famous (as I always called him) Hatake Kakashi, who, now that I thought of it, had been my mother's sensei when she graduated from the academy! "Oh really, how?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I've only heard him talk about it once before, with your mom one time when we were over at your house. Remember? That time you fell asleep laughing?" I nodded, and she went on. "Your mom seemed upset. She was saying how you needed a dad and she feared that she wouldn't be able to provide for you. And then they started talking about him."

I gulped. "D-do they know where he is? Is he…" I fought hard, not wanting to say the words. Tears pricked at the back of my eyes, wet and hot, now that I was actually _talking _to someone, and was about to say the word out loud. I felt like I was choking, and was relieved when she held up a hand to stop me. Clearly, she knew what I had been trying to say, and how hard it would have been to actually _say _it. With a sigh, she looked around. We had already almost been around the entire town, and the sky remained stationary and grey.

She shook her head, and my heart soared in my chest. "I don't know much more," she said, after a long silence. "The last thing I heard was your mom telling them that she hoped he was ok."

I waved goodbye to her as she disappeared into her house, and I wearily started walking again. Now my thoughts were running way too fast, like a whirlpool that seemed to be leading straight towards the black hole in the center of my mind that I feared was insanity.

Sure, I was glad that someone _actually _talked to me about him, and that they said he was most likely alive, since my mom was worrying about him, but all it ended up doing was furthering my curiosity. If I didn't find out soon, that gaping black hole in my mind would probably start to grow until there was nothing but a dark nothingness. So, there was only one option left. I would have to ask my mother about him.

"Oi, Saeko! Chotto matte!"

I slowed down and stopped, turning around to face Kiyoshi, who was running at me. The rain had picked up again (much like my sadness) right after Ayami left. That seemed to be my curse. When I was sad, the world had to be sad too.

"Hey," he said when he was standing right beside me. I forced a small, sad excuse for a smile. _Why is he here? The guys should be out… playing in the mud or something. _Normally, I'd probably be joining them. I sighed.

"What are you doing here?"

He shrugged and looked up at the sky as we continued walking. His hands were gripped tightly around the straps of his backpack. "You ok?" I asked him. He stopped.

"I could ask you the same."

I frowned and bowed my head, my dark hair falling in a veil around me eyes. I had forgotten to pull it up today, and the rain was keeping it glued to my face. Hopefully the water that streamed down from the sky and my hair would hide the tears when I looked up again.

"Hey, are you going home?" he suddenly asked, and I looked over at him and shook my head.

"No, why?"

"Let's go to the candy store, and you can copy off of my notes."

I glared at him. "Oh, and _why _would I have to look off of your notes?" I asked, sticking my bottom lip out defiantly. He laughed.

"Don't lie." He started walking backwards. "I saw you, and you were barely taking any notes at all."

We sat near the window, watching the few unfortunate people outside run through the rain, books and hoods covering their heads. Instead of the candy store, we had ended up at the pocky store, but I really didn't care. Sweets were never really my thing anyway.

"Here," he said, putting a stick of pocky in his mouth and holding it still while he fumbled around in his backpack. I took out my own notebook and placed it next to his on the table. He handed me a pen, I thanked him, and began writing.

While I was working, I noticed that he wasn't his usual cheery self. His lips, which usually had a grin playing them, were stretched in a tight line, and his eyes weren't shining like usual.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"Yes." But as soon as he spoke, I knew something was wrong. When I asked, he wouldn't tell me. And I was instantly concerned.

My mind was made up. I was going to ask my mom about _him. _I just had to. Or else I would end up tearing my hair out. But when I got home, she seemed tired and said she had had a miserable day. I frowned, nodded, and left, on the verge of tears.

I wanted to ask more than anything in the world. But I knew it would hurt her. And that was the _last _thing I wanted to do.

**Eight Months Later**

Six months ago, Ayami Hatake turned thirteen years old. I went to her shortly after, because I wanted company and I felt that I needed to ask her if she had heard anything more about my father, who still remained a mystery. But when I stood in her door and entered her room, the air seemed different.

Something had changed in Ayami, and it wasn't just her age.

She wasn't listening to what I said. If she was, I couldn't tell, anyway. And in those moments where I expected her to say something to comfort me, like she always had, she would just grunt and stare up at the ceiling, as if she had anything better to do.

"Well, sorry to hear it," she said, after I informed her about the threat to my sanity that was known as curiosity. Her voice was cold, and it cut me like a kunai, straight to my heart. I wanted to break down in tears, but I wasn't about to do so. I _never _let people see me cry. If I could help it. But still, even though I fought back the tears, and hoped that she would change her mind and apologize, I simply had to ask.

"Why are you being so mean to me?" I asked, and my voice shook.

She scoffed. "I don't know what you're talking about. Now get out."

And then I fled, tears pouring down my cheeks.

**Sorry I cut it off here guys. I had another idea that I wanted to write, but I decided that I'd save it for the next chapter. Thanks for reading, and I'll give you a cookie if you review. **


	3. Five Years Later

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own all the OCs I made up for this fic though. **

**Family Tree (Just a Reminder)**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 4 and a half years old. **

**Sakura+ Mystery Man: Saeko, now 12 and a half. **

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 13 and a half. **

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 10 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 15 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 10 years old. **

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 16 and a half. **

**Note: At the beginning of every chapter, there will be an introduction in which Saeko explains everything that is going on at current time. **

**OK, on with the story. **

**---------------------------------o------------------------------------**

"_I don't know what you're talking about. Now get out."_

_And then I fled, tears pouring down my cheeks. _

---------------------------------o-------------------------------------

Four and a half years later, I stand before my mirror a different person. I no longer have the appearance of a tomboy; my clothes have changed from baggy to tight, hugging my body and showing off the small curves I have developed; my hair's no longer a mess; I no longer have dirt running down my face. Yet I still have the boyish personality inside of me, buried under piles of new dressy clothes and shining beads. If there's nobody around to see me, I'll go and play sports with the boys, coming home with dirt under my fingernails and a large scrape that oozes blood.

And as for the course my life is taking thus far… well, for one thing, I graduated from the academy about eight months ago, when I first turned twelve years old. I was put in Squad 8, along with Kiyoshi and a boy named Minoshi, transferred here from Iwagakure for God-knows-why. He and Kiyoshi seem to argue about everything, and I find it very amusing, both the fact that they're rivals _and _the fact that their names rhyme. Oh yeah, and I've got a rival myself.

Her name is Suzume Yakomoto, the terror of the world. A girly girl if ever there was one, stuck-up, arrogant and full of herself. The self-declared leader of her squad, under their sensei, that is. Second in command in her own mind. The boys on her squad, Sashi and Kobe, fear her for some reason I will never understand. Perhaps they fear that she'll paint their fingernails pink after knocking them out sometimes. Who knows? 

Anyway, moving on… I haven't figured out anything about my dad, other than the fact that he was an exceptionally good student and had some kind of interesting family history. No specific details. And, better yet, I haven't learned _any _of this from my mom. In the course of nearly half a decade, I haven't gotten a single word out of her. When I bring him up, she'll always find a way to change the subject, such as 'Oh, would you take this to Toshi's mom?' or, 'Oh honey, would you look at the time! I have to go to work now, see you later!' In all honesty, it's quite aggravating.

What else? Well, a few random facts, just so you know. Satoru, now almost five years old, the last child of Ino and Shikamaru, seems to idolize me, and always wants to hang out with me and the guys. Most of the time, Toshi ends up sending her back home. On such occasions, she'll look at me with pleading eyes, and I'll give a sad smile before waving.

As for Ayami… Well, I've spoken to her in general about as much as I've spoken to my mom about my unknown father. Very little, if not none at all. She spends her time with Hikari Hyuuga, and some other girl who's in their already-Chuunin Squad. It still upsets me from time to time, when I think of how I used to (and still do, in a way), look up to her.

Kohana and Atsuhiro Uzumaki and Hiroshi Hyuuga are all currently attending the Academy, and from what I've heard, they cause the most trouble out of everyone else. Looking at the twins' dad, it's easy to believe.

Tsunade is still the Hokage, and still looks about 20 years old, and Shizune is still her faithful attendant. Mom still works at the hospital.

Toshi, Kane, and Takeshi are all in Squad 11.

And finally, as for why I'm telling you this, I have _no _absolute idea. I just felt that you should know, since all of these facts will most likely be useful to know. Anyway…

---------------------------------------------------------o-------------------------------------------------

"Oi, Saeko!"

I blink my eyes open, immediately regretting it as the bright sun blurs my vision. When I blink, I see colorful dots.

"What?" I ask, and jump down from the tree branch. Kiyoshi runs over and stands beside me, panting for breath. I roll my eyes looking at him, and fiddle with the strap of my tank-top. A really cool tank top, if you ask me. It's thick, black, and buttons up in the front. Ok, so, it buttons up. Not exactly a tank top. But, I wear a dark blue tank top beneath it. Ok, I got off subject. Kiyoshi.

His hair is wild and spiky, just like his dad's. But instead of black, his is honey-colored, like Temari's. I don't know if I've told you, but his eyes change colors. My favorite is when they're a tealy-blue, like his mother's. When they're that color, he's usually grinning. Then again, he's almost _always _grinning. So, I almost always like his eyes. He wears a black t-shirt, with a fish-net shirt underneath it whose sleeves go down to a few inches above his elbow. Brown pants, and the same ninja sandals as almost everyone else. Except me, I wear black combat-type boots over leggings.

"What is it?" I ask him. He's the only one I talk to in a somewhat-sweet voice. The rest get my 'leave me the heck alone' glares and the 'buzz out' cold insults. Everyone, including myself, wonders _why _I'm not cruel to him as well.

"The guys. They were wondering where you were."

_They were, or _you _were, _I want to ask, and if I really did say that, I pray that he says it was him. Instead, though, I just say: "Yeah?"

He nods. "Let's go hang out with them for a while, since none of us have any missions today." 

I shrug, and start following him when he turns around and starts walking again. I linger a few steps behind, staring at him with a small unexplainable smile gracing my lips.

"Where exactly are we hanging _out_," I ask, when he heads into the city. He turns around, a grin still plastered to his fun, priceless and irremovable. I look away when I realize that we're staring straight into each other's eyes.

His grin wavers for a moment, but then returns as he says 'to criticize the little kids.' I roll my eyes, but continue following as he leads the way to the academy. Outside, the kids are on lunch break. Some are in deep, uninteresting conversation, and others are throwing kunai and shuriken all over the place. It's now that I realize how dangerous _we _must have been at their age.

Kane and Toshi are waiting near the bottom of a great tree. _Our_ tree. By now, some of the younger children have turned to look at us, silently wondering why we're here, but not daring to ask. _Chickens. _

Among the many heads, I see a brown one, a blonde one, and a purple one. "Oi, Kohana," I call. She runs over to me, practically doing cartwheels. Around her head she wears a chain of flowers, pink against a waterfall of blonde hair that falls down to her shoulders in curls. I smile. Unlike Satoru, I enjoy when Kohana's around. I know that sounds mean, but still… maybe it's because me and Kohana are even closer in age.

Atsuhiro and Hiroshi come over, Hiroshi brushing a flower from his brown hair. "I told you to stop doing that," he says, glaring at Kohana. She wrinkles her nose, then sticks her bottom lip out defiantly and sits beside me. The guys are frustrated that the kids have joined us, but I shrug it off. For some reason, kids are _always _running to _me. _

"So," I say, looking over at Kohana. The boys all sigh and Kane wanders off to go create chaos. _Have fun. _"Did you make that by yourself?" I nod at the crown of flowers around her head, and she nods.

Suddenly, she jumps up. "Oh, wait right here!" In a flash, she runs off towards a hill on the other side of the campus, rich with colorful flowers.

"So much for criticism," Toshi mutters, and holds a hand to his mouth when I turn to glare at him. Kiyoshi laughs. It's only then that I realize Takeshi is missing.

"Hey, where's Takeshi?" I ask, and Toshi frowns.

Silently, he looks around, and then nods towards Hiroshi and Atsuhiro who are chattering on about something that happened in class today. "Hey, boys," they turn to me. For boys, they listen and do as they're told pretty easily.

"Yeah, sis?"

Sis. They _all _call me that, and it makes me really happy. I'm an only child, so to hear them call me _sis _makes my heart soar in my chest. And the best part is, even their friends call me 'sis,' even if I don't know each of them by name.

"Will you go see what Kohana's doing?" I ask. When they open their mouths to protests, I promise them ramen if they do it. Atsuhiro jumps up and runs after Kohana, but Hiroshi stands there, staring and me and trying not to grin.

"All right, what do you want?" I ask.

"Candy."

"Fine, candy and ramen."

"Yay!" he jumps up to pursue the others, and I laugh. Had it been the guys who promised them that, they would have been cheated out of both ramen _and _candy and would get _nothing _out of the deal. I'm not that mean, though. Guess that's why they call me sis.

"So, anyway?" I ask, turning to Toshi again. Kiyoshi looks at him with just as much interest as me. "What happened to Takeshi?" Before Toshi even speaks, I am already preparing answers inside my mind, hoping like hell that they aren't true. _Takeshi is dead,_ or _Takeshi moved away. _Takeshi has never really been a sociable one, or a fighter. His name, meaning 'fierce warrior', fits him like Kiyoshi's fits… Well, Kiyoshi. But still, Takeshi is one of us. He's part of the gang.

"He didn't show up at the meeting place for our squad yesterday, even though Tanahako-sensei had warned us to be there early. At first, I believed he was just running late. You know, an argument with his folks or something. But then, an hour passed, and Kane and I and Tanahako-sensei started to wonder where he was. When he still didn't come, Kane and I had to deal with all of the missions -stupid D-ranked ones, to be specific- and afterwards, we went over to Takeshi's place to see if he was alright…" His voice trailed off, and I blinked expectantly, urging him to go on.

"Poor guy was all beat up," Kane said, appearing behind me so suddenly I jumped.

"I told you not to do _that!"_ I hissed, and then suddenly his words registered through my mind. "Wait, what happened to him?"

Kane shrugged. "His old man beat him up. Apparently, Takeshi forgot to do some errand or other, and his pop got pretty ticked off with him. Kid had a bruise all down the side of his face." His voice showed little consideration or care, as if this was something that happened every day. In a way, the fights _did _happen every day in Takeshi's family, but this was different. I snapped, almost unaware that I was standing an inch away from him and yelling at him.

"How the hell can you just stand there and act like it's _nothing?" _I demand. "You are _such _a jerk, I mean sure, you're perfect and you don't have any troubles so no one else's troubles should matter, right? You, you, you, it's all about _you! _God, you're so horrible, you friggin'-"

"Take it easy, Saeko."

Before I know what has happened, Kiyoshi's pulled me down beside him by the top of my arm, and he whispers something into my ear. _It's not worth it. _And then he lets me go, and I pull my knees up to my chest. Kane continues to glare at me for a moment, looking as if he's about to say something, but Toshi holds up a hand. "Chill, Kane. It's over."

I bury my face in my knees, hugging my legs tightly. _Poor Takeshi… _"Hey, what happened to sis?"

I look up to see the three of them- Hiroshi, Kohana, and Atsuhiro- staring down at me. Forcing a smile, I mutter: "Tired."

Kohana flops down beside me and holds out a chain of daisies. I blinked, take them, and put them on my own hair, purple clashing with raven hair. She grins, and declares that it looks pretty. The guys all laugh, and for some reason, I laugh too.

-------------------------------------------------o-----------------------------------------

"Hurry up, sis," Atsuhiro mutters, puling me along by the arm. People in the streets turn to stare at the four of us, Kohana and Hiroshi trudging along at their own passes, and Atsuhiro dragging me along eagerly.

"Whoa, chill _out! _I mean, it's not like the ramen's _going _anywhere."

Atsuhiro shrugs. "It might!"

Rolling my eyes, I scoff playfully and allow myself to be tugged around. In a matter of seconds, I'm being welcomed into Ichiraku's, the kids piling in and sitting on stools. There's only one seat left open once we've all crowded in. The old man that welcomes us is ancient, and, according to the twins' dad, has been serving ramen for years. His daughter, also named Ayame, comes out and grins at us all, already knowing what we're going to order.

"Miso ramen with extra beef!" Atsuhiro. "Miso soup please," I say. "Chicken flavored ramen!" Hiroshi says. Kohana thinks about it for a moment. "Miso soup, please!"

"Coming right up!" Ayame giggles, and I find myself thinking of the _other _Ayame. The one who let hormones get the best of her, and completely change her life. Something, I swore to myself, that I would never do.

Thirty minutes later, I stare in shock at the pile of bowls stacked before Atsuhiro. Kohana's eyes go wide.

"Atsuhiro! You shouldn't eat that much when people are buying for you!" she screams. Unlike other kids, namely Satoru, she doesn't threaten to tell her parents when she gets home. She's no tattletale.

I laugh, and wave it off. "Don't worry, I'll get it."

Mom makes pretty good money, so I've always got enough.

------------------------------------------------o-------------------------------------------

"No, blueberry. Wait, I changed my mind, strawberry! Or maybe cherry!"

"Get cherry!"

"Nu-uh, go with blueberry!"

"Or lemon!"

Atsuhiro and Kohana immediately get into an argument, trying to figure out what flavor the other should get. They're arguing, but at least they're arguing for each other.

I myself grab a raspberry-flavored lollipop, and shove it into the bag that's almost already full. I still don't like sweets, but what the hay… If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Hiroshi finally hands me a cherry flavored one. Kohana gets an orange-flavored one, and Atsuhiro decides to go with blueberry. I know that as soon as I dig them out of the bag outside, they'll switch anyways.

"Here, please."

I place the bulging bag of candy on the counter in front of the woman. She weighs it, punches in a few buttons on the cash register, and a price comes up on the small monitor. My eyes go wide, and I pull out my wallet.

_Yeah. As I thought… _

With a sad sigh, I say sorry, pull out an ice cream sandwich and my own lollipop. "Then I hand her nearly all the money I have left."

-------------------------------------------------------------o---------------------------------------------

"Thank you, sis!" They all mutter in unison, once outside. I nod and grin, tell them not to mention it, hand them the bag, and they run off towards Hiroshi's house to divide up the candy equally.

Sighing, I cross my arms over my chest and begin walking.

When I finally stop, I've come to the training ground. Surprisingly, it's quiet. According to the sun's position in the sky, it's about 3:00, which means I still have two hours before mom gets off work. Sighing again, I lie out on my stomach, and lay the side of my head against the grass. My eyes immediately grow heavy. They always do in the bright sun.

"You know, you shouldn't sleep there. You'll get burned."

I roll over onto my back and find Kiyoshi leaning over me, blocking the sun from my face. I smile and hop up, and we walk over to sit by the nearest shady tree. Once there, he holds something out to me.

An ice cream sandwich.

"You were spying," I said to him. He turned red and looked away.

"Nu-uh. I was just walking past, and you happened to be in the candy store."

"Oh, ok then," I say, pretending to be convinced. We both know that I'm lying.

--------------------------------------------o---------------------------------------------

Summer was approaching, fast. You could feel it in the way the air grew hotter with every passing day, the sun hotter. We woke up early and met early, so we could finish with our stupid D-ranked missions early, before it got too incredibly hot.

We get our first B-ranked mission one week after the day I sat eating ice cream sandwiches with Kiyoshi. We're thrilled, of course, and already packed two days before the mission actually takes place.

Tsunade has labeled me second in command, which seems annoy the hell out of Minoshi. We're to go to Sunagakure and give some scroll to the Kazekage, stay for a week and observe (what we're observing, I have _no idea. _She says we'll know when we see it), before returning to the Village Hidden in Leaves with a scroll that responds to the original one.

Since it's already hot here, I know that it's going to be _burning _up in the desert. So, I ditch the leggings and go with a miniskirt. Yeah, I'm not big on _dressing _like a ninja. Hopefully, though, when we get there, I can buy some cool new clothes.

I've always wanted to visit the land Kiyoshi's mom is from. He's been there before, he says, and according to him, it's pretty awesome. But he doesn't remember _too _well, because the last time he went he was seven years old. Come to think of it, I actually remember the week he was away. That was the week Toshi and I met Kane and Takeshi.

"So, Mom says that we should probably pack a lot of water and stuff," Kiyoshi says, the evening before we leave as he plops down beside me underneath the same tree we ate under a week ago.

"Well no _duh." _I roll my eyes, and softly hit him on the head. He pretends to be angry, and his attempt to sneer at me is foiled by a sneeze. I laugh at his priceless expression, and this time he really does glare. "Wow," I suddenly said.

"What?"

"I just realized how awesome this is going to be. I've never left the village before. What's the Kazekage like? You know, since he's your uncle and all."

He goes into a story about the long-since-passed Akatsuki, and them kidnapping his uncle. And he tells of the demon sealed inside of him, and how Naruto Uzumaki beat him and made him change his whole perspective on life, and how the villagers went from hating him to adoring him. It's a fascinating story, and before I even realize it, I'm lying on my stomach, my feet kicking through the air as he tells of his uncle.

"That's so amazing…" I said, when he was finally out of breath. He nodded.

"Yeah."

The smile fades from his face, and for a second I am reminded of that time, almost five years ago, when he frowned in the rain.

"What's wrong?" I suddenly ask, and he looks at me as if he's just remembered I'm here. I frown as he fakes a smile.

"Nothing," he says. I glare at him.

"Kiyoshi, you _always _say that. Always! Come on, just tell me! If there's something bothering you, I want to know about it. I want to help make it better, is all."

His eyes go wide, and my cheeks go red at the words of concern that spill from my mouth. I look away, and he hesitates a moment before laughing. "Really, it's nothing to worry about. Promise."

-------------------------------------------------o-------------------------------------

It's almost sundown by the time we reach Sunagakure the next day. I reach up and brush a strand of hair from my face, and let out a tired, relieved sigh. The houses come into view, taller and more interesting than the ones in Konoha. The way they look, they too, are made of sand. Minoshi and Koshibana-sensei walk along silently, as Kiyoshi launches into a tale of his uncle again. A tale that he's already told me. A tale that I learned before either of them.

"Wow, that took _forever,_" I say. Minoshi nods, grunts, and continues walking along.

"So, where are we going first?" Kiyoshi asks, and Koshibana-sensei looks down at him. I cast a sideways glance at the both of them, and then start walking backwards as I listen to their discussion.

"We'll go see Lord Kazekage first, and then I suppose we can go eat and go to bed. Though I haven't exactly figured out where we're going to stay yet." He sighs. I laugh.

Kiyoshi grins and informs us that his uncle will probably give us rooms in the Kazekage Mansion, a building I can't _wait _to explore. Then again, I can't wait to check out the entire village. The only thing, though, is that Sunagakure is said to not have hot springs. But I'm sure I'll live.

-------------------------------------------------------o----------------------------------------------

The Kazekage seems shocked when we appear at the doorway into his office, escorted by two body-guards. First he looks at Koshibana-sensei, and finally his eyes fall upon Kiyoshi, who walks in without invitation and stands before his desk. As I expected, they act like any other families would.

"Oh, is that so? And how are your parents?"

"Good, and how's everything been here? Anything new?"

"Nothing except for planning for…" His voice trails off as Koshibana-sensei approaches him with the scroll. Nodding, Gaara takes it and unrolls it, carefully scanning over it's contents.

"I see…" he says, and then: "Well then, thank you very much. And I assume you've yet to find a place to stay?"

Koshibana-sensei is flustered and embarrassed at the obvious reminder that he came unprepared. Gaara smiles blankly, and I can see that Kiyoshi's grin is related. Somehow, vaguely, their grins are the same. Even though Kiyoshi's grin is much wider.

"You can all stay in the Mansion," he says, and Kiyoshi gives me an I-told-you-so look that makes me giggle. Everyone looks at me strangely, and I turn as red as the Kazekage's hair.


	4. Journey To Suna

**Disclaimer: Trust me… You do **_**not **_**want to know what would happen if I did, in fact, own Naruto. Which I don't. Obvious, ne?**

**Family Tree (Just a Reminder)**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 4 and a half years old. **

**Sakura+ Mystery Man: Saeko, now 12 and a half. **

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 13 and a half. **

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 10 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 15 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 10 years old. **

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 16 and a half. **

-------------------------------------------------------0------------------------------------------------

The week goes by in a swirl of laughter, cold showers, hot sunlight, a thousand changes of clothes, and whispers of a mysterious upcoming event. I think of my mother, and wonder if she is missing me. I think of Kane, Toshi, and mostly Takeshi and wonder how they are all doing back in Konoha.

And then I think of something else. I wonder if my mom is speaking of my father while I am away. The thought tears me up inside, and I want to go home early and spy on her. But already, it is the end of the week and the talking is most likely over. If it ever even started.

During the day, we're mostly free. Other than helping out with a few jobs around the village, there really isn't much to do. Most of the time, I'll go for a walk, around the village and sometimes a little ways outside of it. Kiyoshi has an uncanny knack for following me, and thinking that he's unnoticeable. Or maybe he _knows _he's noticeable, and simply _wants _to get caught. Either way, I always pretend to be clueless for a while before turning around and staring at him, as if expecting an explanation. Really, I would like an explanation, though. Couldn't he hang out with Minoshi? But then again, his presence is comforting when my thoughts are going crazy.

Today's Friday, the last day of our stay in Sunagakure. By now, we've met and become well acquainted with Kankuro, Kiyoshi's other uncle, made a few friends in the village, learned a few interested stories about the history of Sunagakure, and memorized almost every little twist and turn to the Kazekage's office.

The sun is setting, and we're all standing outside of the Kazekage mansion. A few villagers come out, along with Gaara and his brother, and exchange comments with us. Finally, the time comes for us to say goodbye, and they bid us farewell and a safe journey home.

"Well, that was fun," I say, fiddling with the sleeve of the new yukata that I bought while we were here. The orange light of the setting sun sets the red fabric ablaze. I don't think it goes well with my hair, but that's beside the point. _Way _beside the point… Anyway, now getting _back _to the point.

"The village was smaller this time," Kiyoshi says, folding his arms behind his head. In a split second, I find myself marveling at the effect the sunlight puts on his honey-colored hair. As if he feels my eyes on the back of his head, he turns around, and the illusion is shattered as I look away.

I laugh. "Oh really? Maybe it's just the fact that you're not _six _years old this time."

He thinks about it for a moment, an expression comes to his face that makes me laugh. "Yeah, well I guess you're right," he says, and then he suddenly stops. For a moment, he stares back at the village; a black dot on the surface of the desert sand. I look backwards for a moment, myself, before noticing something.

"Uh, Kiyoshi! Turn around!"

He does so, and in a flash we're off, trying to catch up with our sensei and Minoshi, neither one of which seem to notice that we're about a mile behind. Kiyoshi laughs. "I'll race ya!"

His pace increases, and my jaw drops. "That's not _fair!"_ I hiss, hiking my yukata up about an inch as I race after him. "Three second notices aren't fair!" He looks over his shoulder and sticks his tongue out at me. I feel a vein pulse somewhere near my right temple. And then a smirk comes to my face as I stop, bow my head, and fold my arms across my chest.

"Uh, Saeko… Are you… alright?"

A few steps closer. I can hear him approaching, and I can see his blue sandals from the corner of my eyes. And then he's standing before me, about to reach out and touch my shoulder….

"Sucker!"

"Wha-?" Before he can even process what just happened, I look back to find him lost in a swirl of sand and dust. _Serves him right… that little cheater. _I start to turn around again, still running, and find myself losing balance.

Before _I _even know what has happened, I'm on my back, staring up at the velvet blue sky. _What the…. _

"Get off of me!" I turn red as I jump off of Kiyoshi, and hastily help him up, refusing to meet his gaze. He chuckles, brushing sand from his shoulders. When the heat leaves my cheeks, I finally cast him a sideways glance, grin sheepishly, and nod towards the two faraway figures.

"We should probably go catch up," I say, laughing nervously. He stares at me for a moment, as if there's something wrong with me, and then he nods.

--------------------------------------------------O--------------------------------------------------

The moon is already beginning to sink towards the ground when the Village Gate comes into view. My eyes drift from towards the wall that surrounds the lower village, and then we are passing through the first cobble-stoned path.

A few villagers, who have either been out all night, or just woken up, wave at us with cheerful grins, and I always wave back.

I'm so glad to be back home! Sure, the beds in Sunagakure were (really) nice, but it's good to know I won't fall asleep to the sound of boys snoring all around me. And then another thought: _Did my dad snore?_

I shake my head, attempting to push the thought away but failing miserably. "Hey, guys, I'm gonna go," I say, and turn away from them all. When I looked over my shoulder, Kiyoshi's looking at me again, with the same sad look as before… With a reassuring smile, I wave at him and run off.

------------------------------------------------O--------------------------------------------------------

I hear voices as I stand outside my front door. They're faint and distinct, and even when I strain my ears I can't make out a single word. When I finally realize that I'm _not _going to hear anything, I knock on the door, and all grows silent.

They all come piling out. Kakashi and Kurenai, Ino and Shikamaru, Naruto and Hinata… Even Kiba and Temari are there. Kakashi and Kurenai greet me before disappearing into the night. Ino walks by and ruffles my hair, her and Shikamaru welcoming me home. Naruto grins at me, and Hinata stutters so much I can't understand what she's even saying. Kiba gives a grin that could easily compete with Naruto's, and he and Temari actually stop for a moment.

"How was your trip? Were my brothers nice to you?"

I nod. "It was awesome, and they were both really great. We got to stay in the mansion and Kankuro even took us for a tour!"

She smiled at me, and I realized how much of a role-model she was. In five years, she had easily managed to replace Ayami.

"So, did Kiyoshi go home?" Kiba asks, and I nod again. Bidding me farewell, they rush off. And then, as I'm walking in, another dark figure appears in the lit doorframe, and I can easily recognize her as Ayami.

I open my mouth to say something, but she just walks towards me. When she is standing right beside me, and I can feel her arm brushing against mine, she mutters 'They were talking about him', and then she, too is gone. My cheerfulness disappeared with her.

----------------------------------------------------O-------------------------------------------------

"Oh, honey, you're home!" My moon meets me at the end of the hallway and wraps me in a warm embrace. For a moment, I think of smiling, but I wearily brush the thought away and draw back irritably.

Her eyes go wide, and I take a step back to stare into her blotchy eyes. She's been crying!

So maybe she _hadn't _wanted to talk about my dad. Maybe it was a subject that just… came up. I want to side with my mother. I want to hug her and tell her what a great time I had, like I did everyday when I was a little kid. But I'm too tired, and I really don't want to talk right now, so I bid her goodnight and then retreat up to my room.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Lying flat on my back on the bed, I stare up at the ceiling. The room is dark, save for the pale, silvery moonlight that shines in through the small crack in between the curtains. I'm exhausted; too tired to sleep, even, and my mind is raging like a fierce whirlpool. Over the past five years, the Black Hole of Insanity has grown, and I'm hanging onto the edges of my mind for dear life.

I have to grit my teeth, clench my fists, and bear it though. Even now, if I went downstairs and started screaming at my mom… If I screamed at her till the point of making her shed even more tears, it wouldn't change anything. Unless she absolutely _wants _to, she's not going to tell me a thing about him.

So I guess that means that I'll just have to find out on my own.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The sun has only been in the sky for an hour when I arrive at the Konoha Library. I sneak in, past the lady at the receptionist counter and towards the second floor. The elevator would make too much noise, I decide, so I take the stairs, and the door to the second floor creaks open.

The book are set by time periods. The Time of the First Hokage, followed by the Time of the Second Hokage, followed by the Time of the Third Hokage, and all the way up to Granny Tsunade. I don't really get it, seeing as some of the Hokages ruled during the same period of time. But still, that's beside the point.

If he was a really good friend of Kakashi's, then he would be… I picked up a book in the center of the Third Hokage bookshelf. _The History of the Ninja Squads… _No, that doesn't sound quite right… Another one. _How the Ninja Came to Be. _Shouldn't this be in the First Hokage shelf? Rolling my eyes, I pull out yet another one, and add it to the growing stack on the table behind me.

After twenty minutes and what felt like forty-million books later, after I've searched through all five shelves and am about to give up, a book catches the corner of my eyes.

_Ninja Profiles; A to Z_

Probably not something that should be on a library shelf, but since it's _exactly _what I'm looking for; I'm not going to complain. I sit down, being careful not to make any noise, and begin flipping through the pages. Some of the pictures are in grayscale, and I can only tell if the ninja's hair is light or dark. But then again, maybe my father's hair _wasn't _dark… Maybe his parent's had dark hair, or even my mom's! The situation, in all honesty, seems to be getting worse by the second.

When I find nothing, I begin to rescan through the pages. _Amata, Atsukoshi… Koshibana, _(I stop for a second and scan over my sensei's stats), _Matsukomi, Nakao, Tsukiyama… _

I'm reaching the end of the book, and I flip past the last 'T' page. Immediately, I come to a page with the name 'Uchiha', at the top, silent say _Saeko Uchiha _to myself, and scan through the pages' contents. It's a huge section, so they were obviously a well-known clan. I say 'were', because according to my book, there are very few remaining. I finish the fifth page, and turn it to find three whole pages torn out. The only thing remaining is a little corner of a page that says 'Sas-' and then it cuts off.

Looking at the clock on the wall, I see that I'm about half an hour late for meeting with the Squad. I jump up, gather all of the books, and head back downstairs, forgetting to put the books up.

Later, I won't be able to believe that I couldn't notice a pile so heavy in my arms. Not to mention it almost went all the way to my eyes.

"I'm _dead…" _I say to myself, making my way down the stairs. And that's when it happens. In the blink of an eye, before I even realize that I've lost my balance, I'm wobbling on the edge of the stairs, and then I'm falling. Instead of actually falling face-first, I'm mostly doing an ungraceful trip, and I'm skipping stairs and spilling book everywhere. When the bottom come into view, I still can't stop myself, so I close my eyes and brace myself.

It doesn't come. There is no pain, and there is no crash. After a few seconds, I open my eyes, and find that I've buried my face into a black shirt. Someone has their arms on my shoulders. Blinking, I look up, and find blue eyes staring down at me.

"Kiyoshi!" In a second, I've turned as red as –I swear it- the Kazekage's hair. "I, uh…" He doesn't remove his hands, like I thought he would. This makes my cheeks grow even hotter. Finally, after a few minutes of silence, when I think I'm about to lose my mind, he gently pushes me backward. Keeping his hands on my shoulders, he examines me, and I bow my head. "I'm not hurt…" I say.

For a moment, he seems lost, and I'm relieved when he finally grins his goofy grin. "That's good," he said. "Ya know, if you had fallen, you probably could have broken your neck."

I let out a nervous laugh, still trying not to meet his gaze. The right side of my face is still warm from being buried against his chest. I clear my throat. "So, um… How'd you find me?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Because I knew you'd come to try and read about him." He nods towards a book that has landed a few inches away from us. _Ninja Profiles; A to Z. _

At this, I turn red again. "What are you talking about?" I defend. "I wasn't… reading about him or…"

In a moment, I'm aware of the tears streaming down my face, and I curse myself for being so sentimental. _God, I must look like an _idiot _to him! _I said, realizing that I actually _care _what _he _thinks of me. Instead of laughing, he pulls me closer to him again, and I allow myself to sob into his shoulder.

_Thank you, Kiyoshi… _

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"So, where are we going?" I ask, grinning over at him as we walk through the forest together. He smiles back, and I feel a weird, crawling sensation in my stomach. For a moment, I wonder if I am sick, but I decide to ignore it when he begins to speak.

"You'll see!"

In a matter of minutes, when we've long-since passed our regular Squad Meeting Point (I figure that we don't have any missions today), we come to a clearing. A huge clearing, filled with all kinds of carnival rides. I stare at them with wide-eyes; they're something I've only _dreamed _of. Seeing one here is like… seeing a _train. _Which is also something I've never actually seen, but my mom's described one quite well. She said she saw one when she was escorting _THE _Princess Yuki to the Village Hidden in the Snow. From the sounds of it, I don't think I would really _like _trains.

"Wow…" I say, in a short breath. Men are walking around, pulling sheets off of even more rides, painting, decorating, and hanging lights from various stands and stalls. I cast an incredulous look at Kiyoshi, and he chuckles.

_So _this _was that upcoming ninja event they were talking about in Sunagakure!_

Supposedly, ninja from every village will gather here at one point. And then I wonder: _Will he be here?_

**Hehe. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's really not my best, but I had to get some Saeko/ Kiyoshi-ness in there!**


	5. Thirteen Years Absence

**Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Naruto.**

**Family Tree (Just a Reminder)**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 4 and a half years old. **

**Sakura+ Mystery Man: Saeko, now 12 and a half. **

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 13 and a half. **

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 10 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 15 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 10 years old. **

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 16 and a half. **

**Chapter 5**

A week has passed since Kiyoshi showed me the carnival rides. It's Saturday now, and I'm lying at home on my bed, staring at the book in my lap. Sitting up, I run my hand over the leather cover, my fingers tracing the words carved into its smooth service. _Ninja Profiles; A to Z. _

Though its only been a week, it seems like this is all I do anymore. This was the only book I had ended up checking out, and I swear that I've spent at _least _two whole days flipping through it. I've memorized the first half of the book, and I've come to believe that no one in there is my father. Unless…

I turn to the Uchiha section, and look at the tears between pages 267 and 270, and stare down at the three letters. S.A.S. According to its position on what's left of the page, it's the beginning of a name. So the only question is; _what's the _whole _thing. _

"Saeko?"

There's a knock on my door, and I almost fall off of my bed in my haste to shove the book under my pillow. Quickly, I grab a random scroll and pretend to be reading it. She comes in as soon as I realize that it's blank.

"What are you doing?" she asks, and I grin up at her.

"I was just reading through some of my old scrolls!" I lie, though all of my scrolls are organized in a shelf on the other side of my room, left untouched for at least three months. She gives me a look that clearly states she doesn't believe me, and stares at me suspiciously.

"Anyway, Kiyoshi's here."

In a heartbeat, I'm hopping down the stairs with one foot, trying to pull my boot onto my other foot. I end up tumbling down the stairs, and staring at Kiyoshi, who is leaning over me.

"Uh… Hi…" I say, grinning and jumping to my feet. My mom appears behind me, rolls her eyes, laughs, and disappears into the kitchen. Kiyoshi laughs too, and practically drags me out of the house, claiming that there's something he wants to show me. Rolling my eyes, I allow myself to be tugged into the streets and through the throngs of people lining them.

I know where he's taking me when we enter the forest. It's only then that I realize his hand is gripping my own. I feel my cheeks grow hot, and my pace slows. He notices and turns around, and I look away. "You ok?" he asks, and I nod. Shrugging, he continues running, never letting go of my hand. I shake my head and smile to myself, and follow after him.

The sun is setting by the time we've finished helping out at the carnival sight. Already, though we are about a mile away, we can hear the excited chatter in the streets of the village. The ninja from other countries have started to arrive!

"I'm gonna go change," I tell Kiyoshi and the others. Kiyoshi nods, but the others take no notice. Silently, I slip off towards a stall and then a changing room.

The carnival won't start for another hour or so, so while they're not looking, I slip off into the woods and head towards the village for a cold shower. When I reach the streets, I see that they are a sea of moving people. Headbands catch in the rapidly setting sun, winking up at me from my position on the roof of a pharmacy. I can see the little dark designs… Iwagakure, Sunagakure… They're all here. There are children running, pushing their way through the throngs of people and squealing in excitement. Across the street, someone has burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, and right below me someone is doing some kind of trick with a shuriken.

The girls are all dressed in yukata, the men in kimono… I look down at the yukata I bought a few minutes ago, and jump down into the sea of people.

"Hey, mom, the people are starting to arrive," I say, walking through the front door. When she doesn't answer, I trudge down the hallway and poke my head through every door. I find her in the kitchen, staring out through the window with her arms folded across her chest. Her lips are set in a tight, worried line. "Are you ok, mom? 

She doesn't reply, and I hesitantly approach her with an outstretched hand. My eyes grow wide when she continues to stare, unblinking, through the glass. Finally, I give her upper arm a rough pinch.

She jumps so suddenly that I jolt. Shaking her head, as if to push some disturbing thoughts away, she looked at me. She blinked like she had only just realized I was there.

"What's with _you?" _I ask, keeping my distance. My shoulders sagged when her expression falls into a dark, gloomy sea.

"I'm sorry," she says, and then smiles. "Did you say something, honey?"

I roll my eyes and give the ceiling a 'Why-me' look. "I said that the people were starting to arrive. But surely you saw them through the window." 

She blinks, as if to say that she has _no _idea what I'm talking about. She's really starting to worry me. "Mom, are you sure you're ok?" I ask, though she never really answered in the first place. Sighing, she nods and brushes a strand of hair from her face. It falls back out of place immediately, and she crosses her eyes to glare at it. Laughing, I retreat up the stairs.

-------------------------------------------------------0----------------------------------------------

The sun catches on my mom's red yukata when we emerge into the light of the setting sun. I marvel at the way it compliments her hair, and then look down at my own. The fabric is dark green, with vines of a lighter green working its way up the sleeves, and light green leaves on the cotton obi. I wear on my feet a pair of geta, their hanaos green as well.

Some of the people from the foreign lands have begun towards the forest, and my mom and I follow silently. As we walk, I send her frequent sideways glances, and I can still tell that something is bothering her. Maybe… I tell myself. Just maybe, she's thinking the same thing as I am.

---------------------------------------------------------O------------------------------------------------

"Where have you _been?_" Kiyoshi calls. Around him, Takeshi and Kane and Toshi have all gathered. Through the crowds, I spot Minoshi, leaning against a wall with his hands folded across his chest.

I look up at my mom, and when she smiles down at me, I nod and run over to the others.

"_Well?" _Kane asks, and I shrug.

"'Well' what?" I ask, and he smirks.

"Where were you?"

"Why should I tell you?"

This has become a habit of mine, you see. I can continue like this for at least thirty minutes, or so it's been said, without giving in. When he glares at me, I put on my own smirk. "I wanted to go change clothes. We-" I nod towards Kiyoshi. "Were working all day, and I decided that I didn't want to attend the carnival in sweat-soaked clothes, thank you."

"You are _such _a girl," he says.

"So you noticed?"

"Saeko…" Kiyoshi murmured. I held up a hand.

"Did you figure that out all on your own? So you're _not _completely stupid after all?" I pressed, and Kiyoshi sent me a warning glance. I grinned. Besides, everyone knew we were just playing.

"Urusai…" Kane demanded, and I cocked my head to one side.

"Nani? Couldn't hear you?"

"Urusai."

"Why?"

"Urusai."

"Make me."

"Sae-" Before Kiyoshi could even get the words out, Kane had appeared right before me, and I was pushed against the nearest tree with a hand to my mouth. I gasped in pain and shock, and squinted my eyes closed.

"Let me go, Kane," I choked out, and when I opened my eyes I found him glaring at me, his eyes seeming to glow with anger. "Lemme go."

In response, he only pressed tighter, and I coughed miserably. Toshi and Takeshi backed away in surprise, and Kiyoshi's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. I continued gasping for breath, like a washed up fish. I was beginning to wonder two things: 1) Why wasn't anyone coming over here? And 2) was I going to die?

"Kane, let me…go," I said, and my vision blurred.

"Make me."

I couldn't see what happened next, but the hand suddenly slipped away, and I fell to the ground, and then Kiyoshi was gathering me up in his arms and placing me back on my feet, and the other boys ran over to steady me where I stood. I let out a strangled gasp, which sounded more like a sob, and stared in shock at the sight before me.

Kane was lying unconscious on the ground. Kiyoshi must have knocked him out. I looked over at him, and he stared back at me with worry-filled eyes. "Are you ok?" he asked. I nodded, gulped, and knocked the other boys away. By now, my mom had come over, along with Temari and Kiba and a narrow-eyed, slightly overweight man that towered over Kane. Presumably his father.

"Oh my God, Saeko, are you alright?" My mom had her hands on my shoulders, and I bowed my head as she stared down at me. And then, pulling me close to her, she looked over at the unconscious boy on the ground, and the pudgy man over him.

I couldn't exactly tell what happened next. My head was spinning, and my throat was burning, and tears were stinging at my eyes. In one moment, everyone was crowding around me, asking if I was ok, and in the next, everyone was screaming. My only guess was that Kane's dad was accusing one of _us _to have hurt his son, and I probably thought that because I'd seen so much TV. Mom was screaming, and then pushing me behind her, and then someone was carrying me through the crowds, and I felt the world slip into darkness and back all at once.

------------------------------------------------------O----------------------------------------------

I didn't pass out, I don't think, because I could hear the people talking and screaming and chattering all around me, along with the sounds of carnival rides and games, and sweet notes playing from somewhere.

When I regained my sense of mind (rather than 'consciousness'), I was lying on a small mat on a floor covered by tatami mats. I sat up and looked around, and then heard a door slide open behind me.

"Saeko, you're awake!"

"Are you alright?"

I nodded, and then began to notice how many people there actually _were_ surrounding me. Kiyoshi, Temari, Kiba, Mom, Takeshi, and Toshi…. Tsunade and Shizune were even there!

For a moment, I forgot where I was and _why _I was there, and then, with a sharp pain in my throat, I remembered. Wincing, I brought the tips of my fingers up to my neck. The contact burned, and I quickly drew away. Why had Kane done that? He had always been an 'angry' child, but he had never hurt any of us…. Until tonight, that is. I sighed….

"Sae, are you ok?" Kiyoshi asked. I sighed and nodded. Shizune suddenly came forward, and a few of the others left. Kiyoshi followed after his parents, looking over his shoulder at her once more before disappearing into the streets. I closed my eyes and allowed Shizune to tend to the scratch marks that stretched down my neck. Mom stared at me the whole time, I could tell, even _if _my eyes were closed. I could feel her intense gaze, and I could hear her fighting back words.

Finally, though, when Shizune had finished dressing the wounds (the bandages were itchy), she spoke up. "Saeko, what happened out there?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, Mom, really. One minute, I was sitting there teasing Kane, because I _always _tease Kane, because it's fun to see him lose, and he was playing along, and then the next he was all angry and trying to strangle me. But… I don't know, it seems so weird."

She looked at me, urging me to go on.

With a sigh, I continued. "He'd usually get angry, but I thought he was always just playing… And now…" My voice trailed off and I reached up to touch the bandages. Mom sighed.

"But you _are _OK, right?" Tsunade asked. I nodded and got to my feet.

"Yeah. Let's go." I didn't want to waste my time in here when the carnival around me was still going on.

------------------------------------------------------0-----------------------------------------------

For the rest of the evening, I tried my best to pretend that nothing happened. Kane seemed to have disappeared, along with his dad, which made it a little easier, but every time I tried to crane my neck, I would wince in pain and the previous events would run through my mind once more.

I tried my hardest to stay away from the guys; they were all _dying _to ask me what happened, even though they were standing right there. But, finally, I decided that I should at least go and see _one _of them.

"Hey, mom, I'll be right back!" I said, without waiting for her reply. Quickly, I disappeared into the crowd. When I found him, he was by himself, which I was thankful for. I approached him from behind, but even though the music was loud (along with the laughter in the air), he knew I was coming.

"Hey," he said, before I had even gotten close enough to hear him. When he turned around, I smiled a small, sad smile.

"Hey, I wanted to say thanks." When he looked at me quizzically, I continued, though blushing slightly as I spoke. "You know, for helping me out back there…"

He blinked, and then finally it hooked. "_Oohh… _Don't worry about it. I couldn't just let him strangle you now, could I? I wonder what was wrong with him, don't you?" I nodded, and we walked over to the nearest tree and sat down.

I brought my knees up to my chin and hugged my legs tightly, staring towards the carnival as I spoke. "I think… I know what was wrong with him…" I began. "Kiyoshi… I think that he was possessed."

He sighed, and I thought for a moment that he was going to protest. Instead, he sighed again and looked up towards the sky. "Yeah?" he asked, and I nodded. He was silent for a moment, as if he was planning out his next words carefully. "Actually, that sounds about right. It wouldn't be like Kane to do that… But then again, the only question…"

"Is who possessed him…" I finished for him. He nodded and stood up.

"Listen, I don't think we should worry about it tonight, ok? We can talk about it later, but for now, let's enjoy the carnival." He held out his hand to me, and I stared at him a moment before taking it and allowing him to pull me to my feet. Instead of letting go as we walked back towards the crowds, I held on tight, thankful that he was there.

--------------------------------------------------------O-------------------------------------------------

Another crackle, and another firework exploded, sending a shower of red and purple lights dancing through the velvet sky. I stood beside Kiyoshi amidst the crowd, still (secretly), clutching his hand. On his other side stood his parents, and my mom stood on my right. They were looking towards the sky, and I tightened my grip for a moment as I stared up at the sparks in awe.

He looked over at me and grinned, and I smiled sweetly before returning my gaze to the sky. Everything was going perfectly now, and I had almost forgotten about Kane and his attempt to strangle me, and my worries of him being possessed. Everything was peaceful… or so I thought.

It happened in the blink of an eye. A particularly large firework was lit, and shot towards the sky with a high-pitched _woosh! _And then the entire carnival ground and the area around it was flooded by a green/yellow light. That concluded the fireworks.

After a few more 'ohs' and 'ahs,' the crowd began moving, and we all crowded around a lit stage, where a few women dressed in silk kimonos were dancing, gracefully making their way around the stage. Though I was shorter than most of the people in the crowd, I thought for a moment that I saw someone familiar, and I let go of Kiyoshi's hand.

I started to pursue the person I though I had seen, but decided against it. Besides, there were so many people there… the chances of it being _them _were slim to none. But then, as the crowd shuffled, I saw the head again. The head of raven hair, spiked slightly in the back. My mother shouted after me, and so did Kiyoshi and his parents, but before anyone could even stop me, I was pushing my way through the crowds, occasionally knocking a person or two over in my haste.

After five minutes, I stopped, and my mom appeared behind me. We were at the back of the crowd, at the edge of the people and looking towards the rest of the deserted carnival grounds. But I saw him disappear into one of the stalls, not really in much of a haste (I figured he didn't see me), and I rushed after him.

He turned around, and I stopped dead in my tracks. And without a doubt in my mind, I knew. I turned to face my mom.

"That's him, isn't it?"

But she was staring at the man so intently that she didn't even hear me.


	6. Reunion

**Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Naruto.**

**Family Tree (Just a Reminder)**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 4 and a half years old. **

**Sakura+ Mystery Man: Saeko, now 12 and a half. **

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 13 and a half. **

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 10 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 15 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 10 years old. **

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 16 and a half. **

**Chapter Six**

_**The Reunion**_

_He turned around, and I stopped dead in my tracks. And without a doubt in my mind, I knew. I turned to face my mom._

"_That's him, isn't it?"_

_But she was staring at the man so intently that she didn't even hear me._

**--------------------------------------------------------O-------------------------------------------------**

It wasn't how I had always imagined it to be. There was no embracing, no "Oh my God, you're alright!" or "Saeko, I'd like you to meet your father…" 

I didn't need to be introduced; I knew it was him. I knew from the pale tone of his skin, and the dark hair; both the same as mine. And I knew by the way he was looking at my mom. There was silence, and a lot of it. The cheers and laughter from the audience seemed miles away, and I could feel my heart beating in my chest. I heard my mom say something beside me, but I was so lost in thought that I couldn't tell what it was.

More silence, and I blinked and began to sway on the spot. So many things were going through my mind. I was happy, of course, in a way. But I was confused as well. They weren't running into each other's arms and crying and introducing me.

Actually, when I looked over at my mother, I realized that she _was _crying, and she rose up from her crouching position beside me. She placed a hand on my shoulder, and it slid off as she slowly made her way forwards.

And then: "Saeko, matte! What's going…" Kiyoshi's voice trailed off, and I could tell that he and his parents were standing behind me. His mom gasped, I think, and I could sense that they were all frozen to the spot.

Mom stopped, and Temari appeared at my side, kneeling down to her knees and placing a hand on my shoulder. "You ok?" she asked.

I shook my head. For some reason, I felt really ill, instead of cheerful. I didn't run to him, I didn't break into tears; I just felt the world spin, and once again felt myself being picked up. My eyes were closed, and when I opened them one time, I found myself in Kiba's arms, and I watched over his shoulder as mom started towards the man, and then everything faded away into utter darkness.

**Meanwhile**

"_Sasuke… you're back…"_

_He shook his head, unbelieving. Of course, he had expected to see _her, _coming back to the village and all. But the kid…? Who was she? She had had the same hair color and texture of face… but, was she…. "Sakura… who was that girl?"_

_Sakura sniffed, pressing her hand to her mouth. "Her name is Saeko."_

"_Is she… yours?"_

_She shook her head. "Not mine. Ours."_

**Back with Saeko**

"Saeko, are you ok?"

I blinked my eyes open. Temari was leaning over me, her hand on my forehead. I closed my eyes for a minute, trying to remember. "What… happened?" I asked her, opening my eyes when I failed to think of anything.

She sighed and averted her gaze, and I took the opportunity to sit up. I was surprised to find myself in the Inuzuka residence, and even more surprised to find myself lying on Kiyoshi's bed. However, when I looked around, Kiyoshi was nowhere to be found. I looked back to Temari, and behind her, in the doorway, I could see Kiyoshi. He ducked back when I looked towards him, and I didn't see him again. The way I figured it though, both Kiyoshi and his dad were standing in the hallway, listening in.

And then I remembered. "That man!" I jumped up quickly, and Temari pushed me gently back down.

"Saeko, you really should rest for a while."

"But, Temari… that man… was he? Was he my… father?"

She sighed, and, knowing that trying to change the subject would be useless (she's smart; one of the reasons I look up to her) nodded. I leaned my head back against the pillow. Had she not said so, it wouldn't have mattered. I knew before she answered; I knew when I first _saw _him.

"What's his name?"

"….Sasuke Uchiha."

I closed my eyes. Sasuke Uchiha. _Sakura Uchiha. Saeko Uchiha. _"Why did he leave?" I asked, cracking one eye open to stare at her. She frowned, and her shoulder sagged.

"Look, Saeko, I think it's for the best if your…. Parents…. Tell you about this." Though she intended me not to, I heard the moment of hesitation before the word '_parents_'. I sighed.

"Well, can you at least answer me _this? _Will he stay?"

"I don't know. All I know is that _you _need to rest, and your parents…" –she hesitated again- "need some time to talk. Stay here for the night, ok? They'll"- she started to say 'she'- "probably coming get you tonight, but if not, you can go home first thing in the morning."

I nodded. "Thank you…" And then I realized something. "But, what about…"

Before I could even get the questions out, Kiyoshi bounded in the room, grinning. "Don't worry about it! I'll sleep on the couch downstairs!" When I started to protest, he quickly added: "No, really, it's fine! Anyway, you should get your rest. 'Night!"

Before I could object, he was gone, and Temari followed soon after him. She stopped at the doorway. "I wouldn't worry about it too much; I'm sure everything will be ok. In the meantime, get some sleep, alright? Good night." She turned the lights off and left the room, and I rolled over so that my back was facing the door.

I tried to sleep. I closed my eyes, counted sheep, buried my head under my pillow, kept my eyes open until my vision went blank… But nothing worked. My mind was a roaring river; thoughts swirled around in my head and refused to go away.

_Sasuke Uchiha… My thirteen-year absent father. Why did he leave? Was my mom angry to see him? Was he going to stay?_

Finally, I began to feel my eyelids weighing down, and gradually drifted into a darkness, surrounded on all sides by the same questions I had been asking myself since I found myself in Kiyoshi's room.

**Meanwhile**

"_She's thirteen years old, Sasuke."_

_A long silence. "I know. I didn't intend to –I couldn't possibly have… Thirteen whole years…"_

"_She's waited for you to find her. I've waited for you to come back."_

"_I know… I didn't mean to keep you waiting."_

_She sighed. "Can I ask you something?"_

"_Yeah?"  
_

"_If you had known –about Saeko, that is… would you have come back home?" her voice was soft, almost inaudible against the sounds of the night. _

_He groaned, and then remained silent for a while. "If I had known, then I never would have left. Or at least, I would have come back sooner, to check in on her. And you. I can't believe that I didn't know, though…"_

"_I wish there had been some way for me to tell you," she said. _

"_It's my own fault. I shouldn't have stayed gone for so long."_

"_So, did you have any luck?"_

"_Not much. Now, anyway… can you tell me about her?"  
_

_She smiled at him, and then looked towards the star-lit sky as she began to speak. "Well, she's best friends with Kiyoshi, Kiba's son, and Toshi, Ino's son, and a few others. As far as I know, she adores Temari, and I'm pretty sure she has a crush on Kiyoshi… She's a genin. They put her in Squad 8 with Kiyoshi and a boy named Minoshi. Her favorite color is red."_

_He nodded, taking in every fact. _

"_And she thinks about you a lot," she said calmly. _

_At that, he looked towards her and frowned, his shoulders drooping. _

_This time, her voice grew serious. "Sasuke… I need to ask you… are you going to stay here?" When he hesitated, she went on. "She needs a father, Sasuke. She needs __**you**__."_

"_Sakura, I…" he sighed. "Where is she now?"_

"_Temari's taking care of her, I'm sure. Or Ino."_

_Thinking about it, he folded his arms across his chest and bowed his head, before nodding absently. _

"_So you'll stay?"_

"_Yes."_

"_And Saeko? Should we go get her now… or should it wait?"_

"_Let's let her sleep, for now."_

_Sakura nodded and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're back, Sasuke."_

"_Yeah…" he said, thinking about what was, surely, soon to come. He hadn't expected to come home to this. He hadn't expected that he'd have a kid, who he had never even met, and who had been waiting for him for thirteen years. _

_He was new to this; being a dad wasn't something he had planned on. Yet. But he knew that there was nothing that could be done about it; he couldn't abandon them again. _

**Back with Saeko**

"Saeko, wake up."

"Hmmm?" I yawned, not opening my eyes. "Whaddisit?"

I began to drift off again, but someone shook me, and I opened my eyes to stare at my mom through bleary eyes. "Saeko, wake up."

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Had last night been a dream? But when I noticed the look of apprehension on her face, I knew that it couldn't have been. That, and the fact that I was still in Kiyoshi's room.

Propping myself up onto my elbows, I realized that Kiba and Temari were standing in the doorway. Shaking my head, I turned back to my mom. "Where is he?"

She put her hand to her mouth, trying to 'shh' me. "Let's go," she said, helping me to my feet. Nodding, I allowed myself to be tugged to the door, where mom stopped to thank Kiba and Temari.

"Anytime," Kiba said, grinning. Temari ruffled my hair as I passed her and went down the stairs.

I saw Kiyoshi on the couch, and for a moment I wondered if he was a sleep. And he must have been, for when he set up, he turned to me, and, without a word, fell back onto his pillow and started snoring again.

Still half asleep myself, I laughed.

--------------------------------------------------------O-----------------------------------

"Did you have fun?" she asked me, like she always did when I had spent the night at a friend's house.

I shrugged. "If you can count being unconscious for most of the night as 'fun', then yeah."

At this, she frowned, and we walked the rest of the way home in silence. At the front door, I decided that I would go in and return to my bed to sleep, though I knew that my thoughts would once again keep me awake.

Once again, I wondered where my father was. Mom hadn't spoken a word of him; and I was left able only to imagine. Had he left? Was he somewhere in the village?

After a moment, I realized that I had stopped outside the front door, and my mom stared down at me. I looked up, emerald eyes clashing with emerald eyes, and I blinked when she smiled at me.

"Unh… mom, I have to ask you… where-"

She pressed a finger to her lips, and, cocking my head curiously, I stepped past her and into the hallway, and I could hear noise coming from the kitchen. Eyes wide, I looked over my shoulder to see that she was cocking an eyebrow, obviously amused. Silently, she nodded towards the kitchen, and when I got there, I wasn't surprised to see him sitting at the table.

**Later**

Once again, it was anything but how I imagined it to be. For the most part, we ate breakfast in an awkward silence, an eerie atmosphere hung in the air around us. I asked a few things, but most of them went unanswered, because he changed the subject to ask _me _some kind of question, mostly about school and the hospital.

He didn't ask me random facts, like what my favorite food was, or how I liked my ramen, or whether or not I _enjoyed _training. I was grateful, for such questions would only serve to make the silence between us more awkward.

The way I saw it, he would learn these things about me, should he stay. Which, honestly, I hoped he did. Why? Well, of course, I wanted to get to know him, and also because of how happy my mom was with him around. She didn't hurry off to work; in fact, she took the day off, and, since it was such a special occasion, I got to stay home as well.

Mostly, we sat in the living room talking, and the conversation, albeit gradually, _did _begin to become less awkward. Around noontime, I was telling him about Kiyoshi and Minoshi, and Koshibana-sensei.

He listened intently, nodding his head, but never interrupting. Mom stayed out of the room, most of the time, but I could tell she was listening from the kitchen with a warm smile on her face.

I wanted to ask him where he had been, though I knew he would change the subject. Obviously, it wasn't something he wanted me to know about, and so I didn't press the matter any further. If he needed time, I decided, then time was exactly what I was going to give him.

However, he _did _act as if he was sad and regretted the fact that he had been away for thirteen years, and I had the growing suspicion that he left without even _knowing _that I would come into existence.

At about two o'clock, he said that he was going to go out and take a look around the village to see what all had changed over the course of thirteen years.

"Oh," I said bluntly, my shoulders sagging. I had rather been enjoying talking to him, and didn't want him to leave yet. Maybe it was because a part of me feared letting him go out, fearing that, should he leave now, he might never come back.

Noticing my worried expression, he stopped at the doorway that led into the hall and gave me the closest thing I had seen to a smile. Sure, it wasn't much: a corner of his mouth tugged upwards a little, but it was still reassuring.

"Want to come?" he asked, so suddenly that I nearly choked on the water my mom had placed in front of me minutes ago before retreating back into the kitchen. Nodding, I jumped up so fast that I almost tripped over my own feet, and he chuckled to himself.

After calling over my shoulder to my mom that I was leaving, I followed him out into the streets.

**-----------------------------------------------O-----------------------------------------**

Once we were outside, he seemed more open. For example, he told me that he had been on Squad Seven in his years as Genin, taught by Kakashi Hatake. His teammates were Naruto and my mother. He told me that, for the longest time, he had had a sort of rivalry with Naruto, and had often ignored my mom (at which I scoffed unbelievingly).

He looked up at the Hokage monument, and told me the origin of the big gaping mark on the face of the Third Hokage. He told me that he had left the village once before, shortly after Granny Tsunade became the fifth Hokage. But when I asked him why, he changed the subject and began to tell me other stories about various passersby and buildings.

Some people waved at him, smiling, and others just nodded towards him in a form of greeting before hurrying about to continue their daily activities.

After what felt like five minutes, but had to have (in reality) been about four hours, the sun began to set, casting an orange glow over the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He turned around, and for a moment, I thought we were going to go back home, but instead of walking through the crowded streets, he led me to a forest path, growing silent for a while.

Finally, we crossed under a small red archway that led onto a wooden bridge. I looked around, taking in the red railings and the trees all around us, and then something else caught my eye. I realized that the bridge was standing above a roaring stream of water, which sparkled in the light of the rapidly setting sun.

"Where are we?" I asked him.

"This was where our squad used to meet in the mornings. Kakashi-sensei was always a good two hours late, and Naruto was _way _too cheerful so early in the mornings."

I climbed up onto one of the rails, leaning my back against a wooden post as I listened. My eyes shifted from the sky to the water, and then came to rest on him, watching him with the utmost admiration as he told me of his days in Squad Seven.

He leaned against the rail beside me, his elbows pressed against the wood. He stopped talking, as far as I could tell. This wasn't very far, because I was so lost in thought. He was amazing, I decided. Even though he was thirteen years late, I convinced myself that the wait was _well _worth it.

When he pushed away from the rail, I snapped out of my reverie, so suddenly that I lost balance and waved my hands around in the air as I began to fall backwards off of the rail.

I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the impact of the cold, wet, jagged stones below, but it didn't come. I didn't get soaked- there was no pain. After a long while, I opened my eyes to find that he had caught me, and his hands were clamped onto my forearms.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

Nodding, I felt myself turn red, and I hopped back onto the bridge. I looked up at the sky, and then asked if I could show him my squad's meeting place before we went home.

Though he looked surprised for a moment, he gave me that small smile once more before nodding, and I surprised myself by taking his hand.

For a fleeting moment, I thought I felt him tense, and I believed that his hand twitched in mine, but it died away quickly, and he clamped onto my hand.

**--------------------------------------------------------------O-------------------------------------**

"…With Naruto and his kids," I finished, looking up at the tree branches overhead. I sat with my back pressed against the tree, stretching.

"Ah, so Naruto has kids now, too?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah, Atsuhiro and Kohana." I grinned. "Atsuhiro acts _exactly _like Naruto, always eating ramen and acting out for attention," I said, referring to the stories my dad told me earlier about Naruto being such a knucklehead. "And Kohana's really sweet; they both call me 'sis', since I'm the only one in our group that's actually fairly nice to them."

I felt my eyelids begin to droop and yawned noisily.

"Time to go home?" he asked, and I once again nodded, scrambling to my feet only to discover how tired I really was. I swayed, my head bowed as I practically fell asleep on-spot. In a moment, I felt myself being lifted up, and when I forced my eyes open, I found myself on dad's back, making our way through the empty, moon-lit streets of the city.

Smiling to myself, I thanked no one in particular that my dad was back, and leaned the side of my face against the back of his shoulder, quickly drifting off once more.

**Later**

"There she is!"

The guys were waiting for me beneath the tree; I was running late, seeing as I had stayed out all night catching up with my dad. Kiyoshi was the first to run to me, grinning and staring at me in a way that made me turn away.

"Saeko, we heard the great news!"

"How do you like him?"

"Did he stay?"

I blinked, covering my eyes as they all shot questions at me. Takeshi, Toshi, and Kane took turns asking about him, and I laughed nervously, waving my hands in front of me as a bead of sweat rolled down the side of my face.

"Listen, guys, chill out! I'll be more than willing to answer every _one _of your questions, but one at a time!'

That said, I followed them to the tree and flopped onto the ground. Kane was nowhere to be seen. Hiroshi, Kohana and Atsuhiro were playing far off, on the other side of campus.

"So," Toshi said. "Kiyoshi here says that your dad stayed!" I nodded, and he went on. "Well?"

"Well what?" I asked him.

"Did you like him?" Kiyoshi blurted out before Toshi could. I looked towards the sky, thinking about how, just last night, it had been me and my dad sitting _right _here.

Smiling to myself, I nodded, and a few minutes later, the children joined us in the shade, and I began to tell the group of them the stories that my dad had told me.

When I finished one, about Orochimaru and the death of the fourth Kazekage, Kiyoshi asked me the very question that I was wondering. "Where did your dad go after _that?"_

When he asked, I simply told him that he remained in the village, continuing with missions and such. Even though I knew I was lying, there was no reason for me to tell the group that I didn't know- they'd find out if they were meant to.

"Sis, guess what?" Kohana had, crawling over to sit right in front of me. I flopped down onto my stomach, feet kicking through the air and hands rested beneath my chin.

"What?"

"Daddy says that he's going to take everyone out to eat tonight!" she said excitedly. "A reunion!"

I grinned and reached up, absently brushing a strand of blonde hair from her face. In doing so, I see a large red cut across her forehead, and I wrinkle my eyebrows. "Kohana, what happened?" I asked, sitting up and pulling her closer to me by the wrist. She stumbled forward and I carefully examined the cut.

She frowned, and looked rather hesitant before saying: "I fell."

"When?" I asked. "I don't remember you having that cut the last time I saw you."

"Last night, at the carnival. It was nothing, really. Mom says it should go away in a day or so."

Sighing, I released her wrist and rolled my eyes towards the clouds. "You better be careful; one of these days you're really going to hurt yourself."

"Oh, um, I just realized… that, um… Well, I got to get back to class before lunch is over. I'msupposedtobehelpingKori-senseiout!" she spoke so fast I couldn't even understand her, and when I looked at her questioningly, she only smiled and waved, running off.

"What was _that _all about?" I asked, not at all liking the way she had been acting.

Atsuhiro shrugged. Her own brother didn't even know what was wrong with her.

------------------------------------------------o-------------------------------------------

"More miso soup please!"

"May I have more tea?"

"Pass me the sake!"

Everyone was talking and laughing. I was sitting at the end of the table with Toshi and Kiyoshi. Hikari and Ayami were sitting a few seats away, looking like they had been forced into coming to the reunion. Beyond them, Ino sat, resting her head on Satoru's head. Kohana and Atsuhiro were sitting across from her; Hiroshi was sitting beside them, and the adults were all on the other end of the table.

I stuffed another bit of teriyaki chicken into my mouth, listening as Toshi went on about what happened at the carnival last night, after Kiba and Temari took Kiyoshi and I home.

I felt really bad; had I not passed out, Kiyoshi and his parents wouldn't have had to miss the carnival, that rarely _ever _occurred, and I said so to Kiyoshi.

"Don't worry about it!" he said cheerfully. "We were just hoping that you were ok!"

I nodded, but still wasn't convinced.

Long after the sun had sunk beneath the ground, the adults began to stand, bidding each other farewell and hurrying home. Ino and Shikamaru stood, Shikamaru holding a sleeping Satoru.

"See ya!" Toshi said, waving over his shoulder as he disappeared into the streets. Kiba and Temari stood, and Kiyoshi followed them out with a grin. Tsunade and Shizune left; Tenten and Neji went home; Kakashi and Kurenai seemed to disappear. Now the only ones remaining were Naruto, Hinata, Mom, Dad, Kohana, Atsuhiro, and myself.

Still deep in conversation, the adults stood. Kohana came over and hugged me, before tugging Atsuhiro along outside. Naruto and Hinata were hurried out; Kohana was still acting strangely and seemed to want to get home as soon as possible.

Stretching, I followed my own parents into the street, lingering a step or two behind as I thought to myself.

I smiled when I saw that my mom was smiling, and my dad was chuckling about something. That night, I fell asleep with a smile on my face, thinking about how great my life had become.


	7. An Enemy Approaches

**Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Naruto.**

**Family Tree (Just a Reminder)**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 4 and a half years old. **

**Sakura+ Mystery Man: Saeko, now 12 and a half. **

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 13 and a half. **

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 10 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 15 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 10 years old. **

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 16 and a half. **

_Stretching, I followed my own parents into the street, lingering a step or two behind as I thought to myself._

_I smiled when I saw that my mom was smiling, and my dad was chuckling about something. That night, I fell asleep with a smile on my face, thinking about how great my life had become._

---------------------------------------------------------

Three months had passed since my father returned home. Everything was, for the most part peaceful. My last name became 'Uchiha' instead of 'Haruno'; dad helped train me and I did a lot better in school (not that I had done bad before, but still.); Kiyoshi and I hung out a lot more around town; we got more out-of-the-village missions, including one in which we escorted a noble lord back to Iwagakure.

On the downside…. Takeshi started growing even more depressed and distant, and eventually, he stopped meeting the rest of the group all together; Kane's dad banned him from hanging out with us, and we still didn't know if he had been possessed or not; the days were growing colder…

**October 14****th**

"_Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Saeko! Happy birthday to you!"_

I don't know why, but I've always been embarrassed when people sang to me; birthday parties, street performers, the whole shebang.

With a light red tinge to my cheeks, I blew out the thirteen candles on my birthday cake, refusing to meet the eyes of any of the people who were crowding around the table and grinning down at me.

After stuffing our faces full with cake, I began to open my presents.

Kiba and Temari got me a new headband, the fabric around it was dark green. I loved it. Also, from Temari, I got some cool jewelry from Sunagakure.

Naruto and Hinata pretty much threw the party, provided the food, and got me a brand new outfit, which I will (most likely) explain later.

Kohana and Atsuhiro got me lots of candy and flower necklaces.

Tenten and Neji got me a scroll to a water-style jutsu that I had practically been _begging _for forever. Hikari, of course, just sat silently, not touching the cake or even acting enthusiastic. The same went for Ayami.

Kakashi and Kurenai got me a lot of various things; weapons, scrolls, etc. I know, it doesn't seem like much, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Ino and Shikamaru and Toshi and Satoru got me a rare type of plant that never died, a bag of my favorite sparkling rock candy, a hand-made necklace of beads that sparkled in the sunlight, and a pair of elbow-high fishnet gloves without fingers.

Takeshi also got me a gift, which surprised me, since I had barely seen him in the last three months. He got me a sparkling purple-tinted crystal straight from the Waterfall Village.

After the party, I went to take a walk around town, but ended up (as usual) joined by Kiyoshi.

"Hey," I said turning to him with a grin. He grinned back, and fell into step beside me.

"Happy birthday!"

I smiled. "Thanks," I said. I opened my mouth again to say more, only to find that he was dragging me along by the upper arm. "Where are we…?" I stopped talking, ducking so as not to get hit by a branch. We were running through the forest.

He turned around to face me, still grinning. I sighed, willing to go along with whatever it was; as long as I was with him, I believed that everything was ok.

We ran along under the canopy of branches above us, sunlight filtering in through open spaces, diamonds against a sheet of green. And then I could hear it, growing closer and closer. The roaring of fast flowing water, crashing upon rocks. I blinked and looked at Kiyoshi quizzically. His smile faltered, but wasn't replaced by a frown. Letting go of my arm, he led me through a narrow path to the right.

Finally, the path came to an end; we were surrounded to the left and right and front by trees and vines and bushes. I cocked my head, slightly annoyed, yet not angry. He looked back at me, noticing my confused expression, shrugged, and kneeled down, pulling back a low branch and revealing a steep hill. He looked back at me, then nodded to the path.

Shrugging, I got down on my hands and knees and ducked my head down as far as I could without touching the ground, crawling beneath the open path.

"Euah-ah!"

In an instant, I was tumbling down the hill, thorns clawing at my arms and legs and branches slapping mercilessly at my face. I ended up lying face-first on the ground, cursing vehemently. In an instant, I pushed myself up onto my scraped up knees, barely managing to get out of the way before Kiyoshi came crashing down as well.

Swaying slightly, he managed to stand and pulled me to my feet, and I ended up falling against him, turning a bright shade of red in the process. If he was even the slightest bit bothered, it didn't show, because he didn't move, and didn't comment when I remained still.

Finally, after a long silence, in which I ended up pressing myself against him, I drew away, and we both erupted into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. He stopped laughing at once, wincing, and I watched as a drop of blood rolled down the side of his face. He tensed when I reached up, but didn't stop me as I brushed it away. Using the tiniest bit of medical ninjutsu I had learned from my mother, I managed to quickly heal all of the scrapes and cuts, and then he continued walking.

Cheeks still burning, I trudged along behind him, the sound of my own beating heart mixing with the now, undeniably close, sound of rushing water.

It was a few minutes later before it finally came into view. The creek gleamed in the sun, clear and beautiful in the heart of the forest. I looked at him, knowing that we were somehow on the other side of the gates that surrounded the village.

He walked over to stand on the very edge of the water, and then turned around, holding out a hand. Blushing, I smiled and took it, and he led me into the water.

"Oh my… It's _freezing!" _I hissed. His smile faded into an evil smirk and I cocked my head to the side. "What are you… oh no!" 

He let go of my hand, and I staggered backwards, shrieking as he kicked water in my direction and falling down in my attempt to get away. Mouth hanging open, I stared down in shock at my soaked clothes, and then glared up at Kiyoshi.

He flinched, probably from the leer I sent him, and turned and began to run.

Kami only knows how long later, we flopped onto the bank beside the river, on the side opposite of the forest we had come from. I reached up and pushed away a wall of sopping raven hair from my face, and glared at him. His own hair was sopping wet, plastered to his forehead. Laughing, I reached up and brushed it away.

And then I realized that I was shivering. And _then _I realized that Kiyoshi had noticed, and he reached up and clamped his hand around my wrist. Blushing, I gulped, and he stared down at me rather blankly.

Our eyes stayed connected, and we sat perfectly still for what felt like ages. It happened before I was even aware of it; His hands were cupping my face; I was pressing against him, his lips were brushing against mine; my eyes went wide and then slowly slid closed. It wasn't how I had imagined it (_yes, _I _had _imagined it before). His lips tasted like birthday cake and fresh water and happiness.

I found myself smiling into the kiss, and then finally drawing away, breath catching in my throat. And then I sank back down beside him, my head resting against his should and his hand capturing my own.

We lay back on the grass, and I buried my head against him. I could tell he was smiling as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, his golden hair gleaming brilliantly in the orange glow of the setting sun.

A long silence settled comfortably over the two of us, lasting until the first stars came into view; specks of white against an otherwise black sky. And then I suddenly sat up.

_C-RACK!_

"Did you hear that?" I asked, staring blankly at the forest across the creek. He looked confused as he sat up.

"Hear _what?"_

I put a finger to my lips, crawling forwards on my hands and knees until I reached the edge of the water. There wasn't any more sound, so I flopped onto my stomach and pressed my ear hard against the ground.

It was faint, but unmistakable. Someone was in the forest across from us. I jumped up, making as little noise as possible, and motioned for Kiyoshi to follow me as I began to cross the creek, cautiously.

We reached the trees, and I looked around, above me, and at the ground; there were no signs of any presence other than our own. Save for the foreboding feeling in the pit of my stomach. Kiyoshi must have figured out that something was wrong as well, because he didn't make another sound.

"Move!" I hissed, jumping backwards towards the creek as the presence became noticeable. I ended up back in the water; Kiyoshi on the nearest tree branch. "Show yourself!" I demanded, and, surprisingly, there was a rustling. And then a dark figure appeared, the only part of it visible was the dark outline, against a fairly dark forest. Kiyoshi had hopped down and was standing protectively a few steps in front of me.

"Who are you?" Kiyoshi demanded. "What do you want?"

Silence. I gulped, blood pounding fervently in my ears. Almost subconsciously, my hand made its way to the pouch that I wore across my hip, already rummaging around inside and them clamping onto the handle of a kunai.

And then the figure disappeared, and Kiyoshi and I were standing back to back, stiff and unmoving, yet breathing heavily. We were both looking around; the presence was still there, so the person hadn't retreated. Almost forgetting to breathe, I clenched my fist even tighter around the weapon in my hand, pulling it from the pouch and holding it in front of me.

The presence changed in location, we both whirled around to face the creek, where the figure was starting towards us. I screamed, and Kiyoshi stepped in front of me. I closed my eyes, preparing for a cry of pain, or the sound of blood dripping, but it didn't come.

_What… happened? _I cracked one eye open, and almost felt my heart stop beating in my chest.

-------------------------------------------O---------------------------------------

Kiyoshi tilted his head to one side, seemingly frozen to the spot in a defensive stance, and I peered around him, only to find an oh-too-familiar figure.

My dad was standing with his back facing us; staring down the enemy figure, whose red eyes were now visible. The eyes seemed strange; cold beyond anything I had ever seen, yes, but they seemed to _glow _with murderous intent and hatred. So much that it made me shiver.

Kiyoshi backed up a little, holding his breath, his shoulder nearly pressing against mine as the two continued to stare at each other. My dad, I noticed, was also glaring with his own sort of hatred.

"Get out of here," he said over his shoulder. I shook my head, trembling. I wasn't going to leave. "Look, Saeko, you've got to get out of here," he said, turning back to face the stranger who had attempted to attack us.

I bit at the corner of my lip, anger boiling up inside of me. I wasn't chicken, and I was determined not to back down. Besides, Kiyoshi was there, and I seriously doubted that he was going to leave. So why should I? 

"Now! Go-" But before he could finish, the red-eyed figured disappeared, and, cursing under his breath, he did the same. I could hear the clashing of metal against metal, sense that they appeared before each other and then backed away, and continued in this pattern for a while. They moved so fast that I couldn't even _see _them. I squinted my eyes closed, a small squeak emitting from my lips.

"Saeko, maybe you _should…"_

"No!" I interrupted Kiyoshi, shaking my head. The anger inside of me reached its peak, a bucket of water so full that it threatened to overflow. Grinding my teeth, I opened my eyes, and was surprised to find that I saw everything differently.

Their movements were clear now; they were on the other side of the pond, then in the air, then back on the ground. The area even seemed slightly lighter; I could see a dark cape with some sort of red clouds on it, and noticed that my dad's eyes were an equal shade of red.

For a moment, the opposing figure stopped, and turned to stare at me icily. It looked as if he was going to attack, but then he was struggling –if you could call it that- against my father once more. In a fleeting moment, I thought I saw my dad's eyes lock with mine, his wide and shocked and mine just…

"Saeko, get out of here." I shook my head again, my hand clenching the kunai so hard my knuckles were numb. "_Now!"_

I opened my mouth to protest, but found myself being dragged away. "Kiyoshi, what are you-"

"Shhh, calm down!"

He wouldn't say anymore, but continued pulling me back towards the village; stumbling up the steep, leaf-covered hill, ducking through the secret entrance, fighting back branches that clawed out at us.

"Kiyoshi, let me go! You have to let me go! He's still-"

He stopped, head bowed. And then he turned and looked at me. "He was worried about you. He wanted you out of their. What would have happened, Saeko? Him being worried, I mean. Wouldn't that have been a disadvantage in the battle? A weakness?"

I shook my head, tears pricking at the back of my eyes, big and hot. I was surprised; Kiyoshi normally would have stayed, but he had a point… But most of all, I was shocked at the note of firmness in his voice. He wasn't going to give in. I closed my eyes, tears now sliding down my cheeks.

He reached up and brushed them away, and I found myself sobbing into his shoulder, quivering with both fear and sadness. I could still since the two presences; they were still clashing, but I believed that my dad's energy was overpowering the opponents. At least, I _hoped _it was… but that was really all I could do. 

-------------------------------------------O------------------------------------------

I must have fainted (again) or fallen asleep, for the next thing I knew, I was sitting up in my own bed, looking around with a blank expression on my face. It took me a minute to figure out where I was and what had happened, but when I did, I jumped up, stumbling slightly in my haste. Catching myself, I darted into the hallway and down the stairs.

They were faint at first, but as I continued slowly making my way down the stairs and hallway, they became clearer.

"And you're _sure _that she used the Sharingan?" It was mom's voice. I cocked my head quizzically, pressing my ear against the wall beside the archway that led into the living room. _Sharingan? _Why did that sound…

"I'm sure." My heart gave a leap as I recognized my dad's voice. "And Itachi knows."

My mom let out a shaky sob, and judging by her muffled voice, buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe this is really happening… I can't believe he's back."

There was a long, awkward silence, in which I allowed my mind to wander. What was a 'Sharingan?' And who the _hell _was Itachi? And why were my parents both so worried? I managed to work out that Itachi _must _have been my dad's opponent, and that their eyes had both been matching shades of red, and then my mom spoke again.

"You'll have to teach her. You'll have to explain the Sharingan to her. And as for Itachi…" she fell silent, and there was another silence, this time shorter than the last.

"I know. I'll wait until she wakes up, though. It's best if she rests for now."

"Yeah, let her sleep for now. You can tell her tomorrow."

Before I could stop myself, I appeared in the archway, my lips set in a tight line, arms folded across my chest. "Don't waste your time. I'm already awake."


	8. The Disappearances

**Family Tree (Just a Reminder)**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 4 and a half years old. **

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 12 and a half. **

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 13 and a half. **

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 10 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 15 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 10 years old. **

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 16 and a half. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_Before I could stop myself, I appeared in the archway, my lips set in a tight line, arms folded across my chest. "Don't waste your time. I'm already awake."_

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The sharingan. A kekkei genkai that increases the user's analytical skills, allowing them to clearly see moves they couldn't interpret before… A bloodline trait signature to the Uchiha clan, Kakashi Hatake being the exception. Judging on the user's strength and experience, using this kekkei genkai, one might be able to predict the opponent's next move before even _they _can, making it seem as though the user of the sharingan can see into the future.

Using this kekkei genki requires energy and chakra, and can easily wear out the weakest and least experiences users.

I looked down at the notes scribbled on the scroll before me. For three days now, the sharingan had been the center of my focus. I'd failed to meet with Kiyoshi; I figured he'd probably come to check in sooner or later anyway. Sighing, I rolled over onto my back and sat up, pulling the scroll into my lap.

It was a lengthy scroll, though I had only gotten through three quarters of it this morning.

The first quarter was dedicated to the sharingan, the second and third quarters to Itachi, and the final quarter told all about the massacre of the Uchiha clan.

Of course, my father was reluctant to tell me any of this. But, my mother pulled through, turning to him and strictly saying that I _needed _to know. Besides, it wasn't like I would have just turned around and gone to bed that night without making them first explain to me who it was we had faced, and anything else that went along with it. The thought terrified me though- not only had my own _uncle _attacked me, but he had also murdered his entire clan years ago. As soon as I rolled the scroll up and lay back on my bed, I heard voices from downstairs. From the sound of it, Naruto was here, his family with him.

I was exhausted, my eyelids weighed down heavily even though it was only early afternoon. Deciding that I didn't want company, I rolled over so that my back was facing the door, and closed my eyes.

Fighting back yawns, I struggled to listen in on the conversation blow. I heard Atsuhiro and Kohana, giggling with _way _too much excitement. And what I heard next made me sit up so fast my head spun.

"Oh, Naruto, you've been made Hokage? That's _great!" _

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**(Normal Perspective)**

_Everyone _was there; people from all over the ninja countries, children sporting vivid yukata, adults who were muttering excitedly to each other, Tsunade, who wasn't looking at all upset about stepping down from the position as Hokage- in fact, she seemed somewhat happy; Shizune, who was staring up admirably at the Hokage monument; Jiraiya, the Legendary Toad Sage, who Saeko had heard enough stories about to stay well away from…

Hinata was standing in a lavender kimono, a darker purple obi tied around the middle, watching Kohana and Atsuhiro bouncing around joyously; Naruto stood by her side, a wide grin plastered upon his face, seemingly irremovable.

Hikari and Ayami were standing amidst a sea of older teen boys, rattling on about their parents _forcing _them to come.

Much to Saeko's disease, Takeshi was there, a big purple bruise covering the left side of his face. Kiyoshi was standing a little ways off, near Toshi and a whining Satoru, who pulled at her brother's shirt. "But onii-san, I want rock candy!" Saeko heard the little girl shriek. Toshi shoo k his head, prying the girl's hands from his shirt, and then Saeko heard her name being called.

"Oi, Saeko!"

Kiyoshi had spotted her, and in turn, Toshi and Satoru looked up; in a split second, Saeko noticed how alike the two of them looked. Both had blue eyes, tans, dark hair… The only difference was that Satoru's hair was pulled up in two pigtails, tied at the ends by red ribbons.

"Saeko-_chaaaaan!" _In a moment, Satoru had managed to tackle Saeko, the latter doing all she could not to fall backwards to the ground. Gently pushing the little girl away from her, Saeko smoothed down her light blue kimono, running her fingers over the embroidered outlines of multi-colored butterflies that danced up the sleeves.

"Anyway," Saeko muttered, walking over to Toshi and Kiyoshi. For a moment, her eyes met Kiyoshi's, and she quickly looked away, hoping that her cheeks weren't as red as they felt hot.

Noticing that something was up, Toshi tilted his head from one side to the other, curiously examining the pair before a wide grin spread across his face. "A-_ha!" _he said, looking at them each in turn. Kiyoshi stood there blankly, refusing to meet Toshi's eyes. However, Saeko stepped forward, standing right before him, and said. "A-ha _what?" _she asked, faking an innocent voice.

Toshi tried to return her stare, and for a moment, their eyes stayed locked. But it was useless. No one could win a staring contest against Saeko, seeing as her personality and attitude were just completely opposed to losing. Sensing danger, Toshi's eyes went wide and he took a step back, frantically waving his hands in front of him. "No, no! I didn't mean anything, honestly! I was just, you know, kidding!"

Saeko sighed, shrugged, and turned to look around, muttering under her breath 'you better be'.

Through the crowd, she thought she saw a flash of red, and sure enough, a few moments later, she saw it again, and absently elbowed Kiyoshi (who was talking to Toshi about something) in the ribs.

"Ow!" he said, pretending to be hurt. "What was _that _for?"

"Come on," she said, and, grabbing him by the upper arm, began to drag him through the crowd, in the direction she had seen the redhead moving towards.

Sure enough, it was none other than the Kazekage. The strangest thing about it, though, was that he had with him a woman. Her hair fell to her shoulders in thick, brown curls; her dark eyes seemed to take in every tiny detail of the village from behind her glasses. She wore a teal yukata embroidered with white puffy clouds that danced around the waist and the hem, which went perfectly with her well-tanned skin. Funnily enough, Saeko recognized this woman as someone who she had seen on her mission to Suna; a woman with a crazed look in her eyes, who had been attempting to stalk the Kazekage. Remembering this, Saeko bit back a giggle.

"What's so funny?" Kiyoshi asked. Saeko simply shrugged. Giving her a two-fingered wave, Kiyoshi ran off towards his mother and the Kazekage.

"Well _that's _new."

Blinking, Saeko whirled around to see her parents. Her mom, who had been the one to speak, was staring blankly at the Kazekage and his… companion. Her father was looking around, his expression unreadable.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Saeko's POV.**

The next few months passed in a more-often-than-not crazy routine. First of all, Naruto's party had passed by in a swirl of ramen, laughter, words of congratulations, and more ramen. And then, about three months later, Konoha received news of the marriage of the Kazekage and the birth of birth of Hajime and Mamoru, the twin sons of the Kazekage and the woman who had been with him when he came to celebrate Naruto's rising to Hokage.

Upon his return from seeing his newborn cousins, Kiyoshi informed me that both had blue eyes, and red hair with dark streaks. Hajime had been born a few moments earlier, hence his name.

In Konoha, there wasn't much change, save for the face of the sixth Hokage being carved upon the village monument. There was no more news of Itachi, or the Akatsuki (which my mom forced my father to tell me all about), though I occasionally saw my dad looking around the village, as if expecting his traitorous brother to be around any corner…

Everything was peaceful… Until two months before my fourteenth birthday. Kiyoshi and I were sitting beneath our tree, talking through mouthfuls of ice cream sandwiches. I giggled, pointing out the fact that he had chocolate all over his nose. Silently, he crossed his eyes, and I burst into a fit of giggles as he rubbed it away.

(Normal Perspective)

She shook her head. "You missed a spot." And she reached up, rubbing away one last spot near his cheekbone. "And I thought I was messy… Geez."

He looked her straight in the eye and grabbed her by the wrist. Smiling, she pulled away and leaned against him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Their moment of happiness was short-lived.

"Saeko."

Her mother's voice sounded out so suddenly, she almost thought she was hearing things. Blinking, she turned red, seeing her mother standing before her, and jumped up. "Oh, mom… uh… Hi…" But she stopped herself when she saw the serious expression upon her mother's face.

"We need you to come home, right now. Temari wants you home as well, Kiyoshi."

Casting a glance over her shoulder at Kiyoshi, wide eyes met wide eyes, before she shrugged, mouthed 'I'm sorry', and ran off after her mother.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"Mom! What's going _on?" _Saeko asked for the millionth time, watching as people sent worried glances in her direction. Her mother only shook her head and began walking faster. Rolling her eyes, Saeko sped up after her.

Everything seemed quieter than usual; curtains were drawn and lights were out beyond windows, and the only people still out in the streets were children who were running home and people who were closing up their stalls and markets. Saeko bent down to retrieve a fallen fruit and handed it to the man who owned the stall. He nodded, and told her that she should hurry and get home.

"Sir, do you know what's happening?" She asked, as he quickly began throwing objects into boxes and sinks…

"It's a catastrophe! Really, girl, you need to get home before you end up missing, as well!"

"Chotto matte! What do you mean?" But the man would say no more; he ushered her away, pulled a curtain over the stall window, and ran off in the opposite direction.

"Saeko, hurry up!"

Her mother was already a block ahead, waving at her frantically. Gulping, she once again took after her mother.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"Sasuke, are you here? I found her!" Sakura called as she slammed the door closed behind her and her daughter. Saeko stood there, fiddling with her hands nervously, and her mother hastily pushed past her, disappearing into the living room. Warily, Saeko followed.

Sasuke was standing in the middle of the room, and he let out a sigh of relief as Saeko appeared in the room.

No one said anything for a moment; Sasuke sat down, staring blankly at the wall across the room; Sakura busied herself with gathering a few objects and disappearing into the hallway.

"What's going on?" Saeko demanded of her father. When he didn't say anything, she felt tearws of anger and worry prick at her eyes. "What's going on?" she repeated. "Why is everybody going home? Why are people talking about someone going missing? Why won't you answer me?!"

The words, so familiar to Sasuke, brought him back to his senses, and, as Sakura reappeared in the room, he nodded towards his wife.

She sighed, and then turned to stare silently at her daughter. "Satoru, Hikari, and Ayami have all gone missing. So has a woman from the other side of the village, and…" she lowered her voice. "Kane and Takeshi."

Saeko's eyes went wide, and the world seemed to spin before her eyes. "What do you mean _missing?" _she asked. "Where could they be? What's going on?"

But her parents only shook their heads.

And Saeko announced the first thing that came to her mind. "The Akatsuki?"

Her mother gulped, before nodding. "We think so."

**A/N: Well, I've gotten a bit of a storyline so far. Thus far, what do you all think? What's been your favorite part? Least favorite? Most confusing? And finally, if you see room for improvement, or have suggestions, please let me hear them. **


	9. Chaos

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Authoress' Notes: Hey guys! Where are all my reviews?! Seriously… Has FanFiction been lagging or something? Either way, please, please, review!**

**Oh, and btw, I change perspectives a lot, without even realizing I do it, so if it goes from 'she' to 'I' all of a sudden, then I is Saeko. **

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 4 and a half years old. **

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 12 and a half. **

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 13 and a half. **

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 10 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 15 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 10 years old. **

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 16 and a half.**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_And Saeko announced the first thing that came to her mind. "The Akatsuki?"_

_Her mother gulped, before nodding. "We think so."_

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Saeko sank back in the nearest chair, hands at her temples as she tried to take in what her mother had just told her. Kane, Takeshi, Satoru, Hikari… And even Ayami… They were _all _missing.

There was a long, heavy silence, in which Sakura continued to gather random items, tossing them into bags and boxes. Running a hand through her hair, she placed one of the bags somewhere near Saeko's chair, and the girl looked up, a curious look upon her face.

"Mom… Where are we going?"

This was the part where both Sasuke and Sakura would have _loved _to be able to lie… This was the part where one of them _should _have been able to say 'Oh, we're just going to visit some relatives', but sadly, neither one of them could say anything like that. Saeko stood up, now worried to death… She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off as a blood-curdling scream echoed through the air.

Casting wide-eyed glances at each other, her parents jumped to their feet, and Saeko followed as they darted through the front door.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The village was in a state of turmoil. The streets were seas upon endless seas of women and children, packed so tightly together people were howling in pain. The claustrophobic ones stayed as far outside of the crowd as they could, but that only got them sandwiched between walls and people.

Saeko and her parents were standing with their backs pressed against their doors, doing all they could not to get sucked into the crowd. All around them, people were screaming.

"Did you hear?"

"Yes, we heard!"

"What are we going to do?"

"Where are we going to go?"

The yells continued, but Saeko could no longer hear them. "Kiyoshi!" She had spotted him on the edge of the fast-moving crowd, and her eyes followed as he grew farther and farther…

"Saeko, no!"

But she could no longer tell who was yelling. The voices were all blurred, and that could have just as easily been her mother yelling as her father. But right now, Kiyoshi was the center of her attention. She pushed her way along the wall, occasionally getting hit or elbowed, or a crate slammed into her ribs. She didn't know if her parents were following her; she had only just realized that men were standing atop every roof, on either side of the river of women and children, keeping guard…

"KIYOSHI!" Before the boy knew what had happened, or who had called him, her hand was around his wrist, and she was dragging him along the wall, and then in a narrow alley, which also had quite a few people in it. A few of them scurried away, disappearing into the crowd. The others stayed, but neither Kiyoshi nor Saeko paid them any attention.

"Did you-?" she started, but he cut her off with a nod as he looked over at the crowd.

"Yeah, I heard. Ayami, Hikari, Kane, Takeshi… Even Satoru… I haven't seen Toshi yet, I wonder if he's ok…"

"Where are they all going?" Saeko asked, on the verge of tears as she followed his gaze. After a long pause, Kiyoshi finally said, "I'm not entirely sure. They'll go to various ninja countries, I suppose… Takeshi's family probably won't wait for him to come back, so they might already be back in the waterfall village by now… Have you seen Ino and Shikamaru yet?"

"No, I haven't."

Kiyoshi turned to her. "I did… It was horrible. Ino was bawling, and screaming that she wasn't going to leave and she wanted her daughter back."

"Satoru's only five years old," Saeko said, burying her face in her hands. "How could they do this to her… and her family?"

"So your parents told you, too?" Kiyoshi asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah. Right after we were attacked after my birthday last year…" And then she suddenly remembered something. Something that made her want to run back to her house… But she quickly pushed the thought to the back of her mind as Kiyoshi continued speaking.

"Where are you guys going?" he asked.

Saeko blinked. "What do you mean?"

He gave her a stern look. "What do you mean 'what do I mean?'" Normally, such a comment would have made Saeko laugh, but this time, she gulped. "It's not safe for _anyone _right now, but especially not _you!" _

It took her a moment to realize what he had said. He knew about her uncle, though she had never even mentioned who it was that had attacked them that night… His parents must have told him. "I don't know," she finally said, turning back to the village. "My parents didn't say anything, and I… well, I ran off when I saw you, so I don't even know where they _are _at the moment."

Kiyoshi sighed, shaking his head. "Well then… I guess we'll just have to go and find them, because you _can't _stay here."

(Saeko's POV)

Before I could protest, his hand found my own, and he was pulling me through the crowd, in the opposite direction that everyone else was moving. I looked around as we ran.

Yes, Toshi was fine, though he looked shaken. But, next to his mother, you could easily say that he was alright… Ino was bawling, her hair was sticking up in all kinds of angles, the ponytail loose and unruly… She was shaking her head, screaming 'No' as someone tried to convince her to leave the village. Shikamaru was nowhere to be seen, probably off guarding the village, or looking for the Akatsuki and his daughter. If he was there, I know he would have had a look of terror on his own face.

And then there were Tsunade, Anko, Kurenai, Shizune, all trying to keep the crowd calm and orderly, failing miserably. Kohana and Atsuhiro were sobbing, their mother looking over her shoulder with every other step, as if she expected her husband to be following them…

Tenten was holding Hiroshi's hand, frantically leading him through the streets. Both were sobbing. Hikari was gone…

And then I could see them… My mother and father, standing still amidst the crowd, yelling at each other to be heard. And Temari was there, and all three of them were looking around. My dad's eyes widened when he saw me and Kiyoshi. He waved us over, yelling something to my mother and Temari. Kiyoshi tugged me through the crowd, and I felt my hand slip from his as I stumbled forwards. My father caught me, and, much to my surprise, pulled me close to him, his arm around my shoulders.

My mom looked down at me, with such an indescribable hunger that I let out a confused sob. She looked like she was never going to see me again.

"What's going on?" I asked, for what felt like the millionth time that day. She exchanged glances with my father, and then Temari, who Kiyoshi was staring at questioningly.

"Listen, Saeko… You're going to Suna with Temari and Kiyoshi for a while, ok?" Someone screamed near me, and I thought I had misheard her. But when I pulled away from my dad and turned to look at him, I could tell that I had heard my mother correctly.

"But… what about?"

Another scream, and then we were moving. Temari was holding my wrist, Kiyoshi was holding my other arm, and I was looking desperately over my shoulder, hoping against all hope that they were coming. But they weren't. My parents were looking at me sadly, and I was screaming that I didn't want to go, and then they disappeared.

"But where are they going?" I screamed. "Why are they staying, what are they going to do?" We were moving on, and I could see my house approaching. I hadn't realized that Kiyoshi and I had passed it.

"They're just going to help get people out of the village," Temari reassured me. "Now, hurry-" But I broke free of their grips, and in an instant I was standing before my house, running up the stairs, barging into my room, and rummaging around beneath my pillow… And then Kiyoshi was there, dragging me back out, and he grabbed the backpack by the door, and then we were back in the streets, running again…

I remember looking around one more time, wishing they were beside me, and thinking to myself that this _wasn't _how a ninja village –No, _any _village-, should look.

We were running away from my home, my friends were missing, I didn't know how long I would be gone… And I had just noticed that I still thought of Ayami as a friend.

**A/N: Sorry about the short chapter, I'm going shopping. Next chapter will start three months later, and that's all I'm giving away! Review, PLEASE! Though I won't make you or threaten to quit writing if you don't. **


	10. Three Months

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 4 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 12 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 13 and a half.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 10 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 15 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 10 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 16 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_I_ _remember looking around one more time, wishing they were beside me, and thinking to myself that this wasn't how a ninja village –No, any village-, should look._

_We were running away from my home, my friends were missing; I didn't know how long I would be gone… And I had just noticed that I still thought of Ayami as a friend._

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"Some birthday, huh?"

Kiyoshi appeared behind me, and I turned my head to look at him from my perch on the high windowsill. I forced a small smile, then turned back to the window. "Yeah… Some birthday." Though I tried to mask it, I knew that my voice shook.

Despite the 'big party' that Kiyoshi kept telling me was going to be throws, and the manicure that Temari had taken me to get that morning, I could easily say that this was my worst birthday _ever. _

Not only was it my first birthday without my mother, but it was also my first birthday without my father since he had come back home. Sure, it was only my _second _birthday since he had returned, but still…

Three months had passed since we left Konoha. I hadn't seen or heard anything from my parents since. And the worst part of it was that, by now, I had convinced myself that someone had scream again as we left the village. And I had convinced myself that it wasn't an 'Ow- my foot!' sort of scream, but more like a 'We're going to die!' scream.

I had convinced myself that the Akatsuki had attacked as we left the village.

"Hey, Kiyoshi?" I suddenly asked, breaking the silence that had settled between us. "When we were leaving the village that night… Did you hear someone-"

But before I could finish, he shook his head. "No, I didn't hear anyone scream. I'm sorry," he said. His dad had arrived in Suna a day after we had, but Kiba refused to say anything about my parents. Whenever I brought them up, he would either hastily change the subject, or just get up and leave the room.

"I'm sorry," I said, more to myself than anything. "I'm just worried… It's a crazy paranoia… I guess I'm just trying to convince myself that something happened so I'll have a reason as to why they…" I didn't have to say anymore.

Kiyoshi sat down on the foot of the bed of this room I had been staying in for three months and smile sympathetically at me. "Don't be sorry. It's natural that you're upset, but I'm sure they're fine. Besides, if _anyone _was screaming that night, it was you."

I laughed, and then something caught my eye beyond the window. People were moving about in the street; packed together in a way that reminded me of that night so vividly I thought everything was happening again…

Almost subconsciously, my hand found my way to the silver locket around my neck. I placed my hand atop it without a word, that night's events replaying through my mind one more time.

"_They're just going to help get people out of the village," Temari reassured me. "Now, hurry-" but before she could finish, I had broke free of her and Kiyoshi's grips, and darted through the crowd until I landed before my doorway. Breath caught in my throat, I shoved it open, stumbled over the threshold, and staggered over to the stairway. My heart was beating a rhythm inside my ribcage; a rhythm that I couldn't keep up with. My head was spinning violently; I lost my footing and almost tumbled all the way back down the stairs. My knees hit the very edge of one of the lower stairs, and I forced myself back up, cursing under my breath as I continued my ascent. _

_My knees were stinging, blood oozed down my legs… Everything was swirling around in my mind. I saw a picture on my bedside table. Kane, Takeshi, Toshi, Kiyoshi, and I were all smiling at whoever it was that had taken the picture. Kane was grinning for once, and Takeshi didn't have any bruises or scratches on his face. Toshi was looking bored, and Kiyoshi and I were just 'whatever' about the whole thing. _

_I ran across the room, sinking to my knees beside my bed, fumbling around beneath the pillow, searching for my most precious possession. Time seemed to be moving slowly around me, and then my hand found the chain, and I pulled the locket out and stood back up, stomach lurching violently. And then Kiyoshi was there. _

"_Come on!" he said. "Let's go!"_

_Cries from outside seemed to penetrate the house; it was as if I could hear everything _everyone _was saying. Children were weeping, mothers sobbing and screaming… I could picture it all so clearly, and I didn't want to go back out and stand in the middle of it. But Kiyoshi crossed the room, and then he was dragging me out by the hand, and I was sobbing as we rejoined the crowd, and Temari regained her tight grip on my arm. The whole world was a blur. I could no longer make anything out beyond my bleary eyes. I was screaming that I wanted to go back, and I was being dragged along, and then through the forest surrounding the village. And that was all I knew. _

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_It was late at night when we arrived. There were only a few people with us, and they were all lingering far behind… Everyone had parted ways in the forest, heading towards different villages, different lives… Lives as refugees. Lives outside of their home. I looked over my shoulder at the few people following us. There was a woman with dark hair straggling about her face, ushering two boys along. They weren't her children; one could tell simply by looking, that none of the three looked alike. These children were without their parents, too. There was another woman, whose blonde hair was soaked on one side with blood; mascara ran down her face, dark trails against an otherwise pale sheet… _

_Temari led us all to the Kazekage mansion, where Kankuro met us and brought us inside. They had heard already. They were expecting us. I was brought to the same room I had stayed in on my mission here, but this time it seemed so cold and unwelcoming. The other four were staying in some of the villager's houses, I remembered… Kankuro, after talking to Gaara, had led them from the mansion, and through the streets where people were lined, ready to volunteer their houses… _

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"Saeko?"

I blinked, taking a moment to remember where I was. When I did remember, I frowned to myself, and hopped down from the high windowsill, noticing as I did that the sun was beginning to sink from its position high above. "Whattup?" I asked, in a false, cheery voice.

Naturally, he saw right through it, but got to his feet, and then nodded towards the window as if there was something there. I looked back, but there was only a window. "Party time," he said with a grin, as I turned back to give him a confused look.

Oh. Party time. Right…

"Yeah…" I said, with as much enthusiasm as I could manage. He gave me another sympathetic look, and, after telling him that I was fine, he nodded and I followed him out of the room.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Walking down the street had _never _been this embarrassing. Not the time I had something stuck to my back… not the time my hair had been standing on end… Never. People smiled and waved and stared at me as I walked by alongside Kiyoshi. I felt my cheeks blazing, and bowed my head. Kiyoshi laughed.

"What's with you?" he asked. "They're all being friendly because it's your birthday. Thirty bucks they all show up at the party in a few minutes."

At this, I looked up. "You don't mean… Surely they aren't _all _coming!" I hadn't expected anyone other than Kiyoshi, his parents, the Kazekage, his wife and twin sons, and _maybe _Kankuro and the four women and children from Konoha.

Kiyoshi nodded. "Well why not? Their Kazekage will be there! And since it's a party for a friend of the Kazekage's _nephew…_"

I smirked. "Seems like much more than a 'friend of the Kazekage's nephew' party to me."

He grinned, and I sighed. He just didn't know how to frown. "Ok, so it's for a _girlfriend _of the Kazekage's nephew. Better?"

I laughed, punching him playfully in the shoulder. "Yeah. That's _much _better." And then I turned red as I saw a woman staring at us from her front door.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

If I had known the exact population of the village, I more than likely would have been able to confirm if _everyone _was there. All I knew was that, looking around at the crowd around me, there had to have been at _least _a hundred villagers. Kiyoshi had disappeared some time ago, and I had wandered over to Grace-san, who was holding Hajime to her. I looked down into the baby's eyes, and realized how true the rumors of 'eyes that could put the sky to shame' were.

And then everyone was seated, and someone cut into a layer cake that could easily be have the height of a one-storied house. I kept looking around anxiously, but my parents were nowhere to be seen.

Barely anyone brought any presents, but even if they had, it wouldn't have mattered. I only would've gotten through a quarter of them… After about twenty four presents, the last of the trash was thrown away, and after three pieces of cake, I was ready for a nap. But sadly, that nap wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

The sun had only set recently when we got the news.

Someone was talking to me, unfortunately asking about life in Konoha, which, given the fact that it wasn't my favorite subject; I would have normally given _anything _to not talk about. Fiddling with a new strand of beads around my wrist (a gift from one of the Konoha women), I found myself silently wishing that something –no, anything- would come along and save me from this conversation.

But you know what they say. Be careful what you wish for. Three minutes later, I would have given _anything _to be talking to the woman about life in Konoha.

He appeared out of nowhere, it seemed. Or maybe we had all been too busy to notice him. Either way, he was there, standing before the Kazekage, breathing heavily, blood running down his arms and the side of his face. One of the women screamed, and we all turned to see what the source of her fear was.

And when I saw him, I stopped dead in my tracks. No, I didn't know him. All I knew was that he wore a headband from the Village Hidden in the Sand, and that he was in a terrible condition. Grace, who was apparently somewhat educated in medical ninjitsu, like myself, stood to help him, but he brushed her off, and, after a nod from the Kazekage, started screaming.

"It's the Akatsuki! They've raided both the Village Hidden in the Rocks and the Village Hidden in the Grass. Not only have children and women gone missing, but now Chuunin and Jonin have disappeared as well. It's a crisis! The Akatsuki declared that they were after somebody, and they wouldn't hurt anyone if someone gave them information on whoever they were looking for, sir!"

Though everyone was staring at the man, and not at me, I could feel a thousand eyes facing me. I felt small and insignificant, and I knew who they were after in an instant. They were after me, and sooner or later, they would come here as well. In that moment, I knew exactly what I had to do.

**A/N: Wow, I'm already done with Chapter 10. Sure, it's not very long (or at least, it doesn't SEEM very long, but that might be just me). Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it, and I will probably have Chapter 11 up tomorrow. **


	11. Leaving it All Behind

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Note: OK, someone pointed out the fact that my ages were off in the family tree. And I changed them, but it was rather hastily, and might not fit perfectly. However, the character's ages have little to do with the story, so yeah. Thanks to KrakenGirl for pointing that out, though. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"_It's the Akatsuki! They've raided both the Village Hidden in the Rocks and the Village Hidden in the Grass. Not only have children and women gone missing, but now Chuunin and Jonin have disappeared as well. It's a crisis! The Akatsuki declared that they were after somebody, and they wouldn't hurt anyone if someone gave them information on whoever they were looking for, sir!"_

_Though everyone was staring at the man, and not at me, I could feel a thousand eyes facing me. I felt small and insignificant, and I knew who they were after in an instant. They were after me, and sooner or later, they would come here as well. In that moment, I knew exactly what I had to do._

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

It was easy enough to slip away from the rest of the crowd unnoticed, what with all the chaos that ensued after the man had relayed the news. Everyone had started panicking, and the man had collapsed. Someone screamed, and I took the opportunity to leave the sight.

Panting, I tossed a fully-packed bag over my shoulders, reached up to make sure I was wearing my locket (I was), and looked around. If they really were after me, I had to get out of here. If they came here, they'd be forced to admit I was gone. I had to leave, and I knew it.

I had little to no idea of my parents' conditions, or their whereabouts for that matter. All I knew was that I couldn't bear to put anyone else in danger. And I had to leave secretly. No one could know.

Especially not Kiyoshi.

Thinking of him, I jumped up onto the windowsill, squinting my eyes, trying to make out the blurred, faraway figured. I couldn't see him anywhere. Good, it was better off that way. If he knew, he would try to stop me… Or worse, come after me. Hopping down, I thought about how him following me would defeat the purpose.

Sighing, I kicked the floor with the tip of my toes, and then wearily started towards the door. I threw it open, and stopped dead in my tracks. The Kazekage's wife was standing a few feet away, holding one of the twins. Behind her stood a maid, who was holding Mamoru and chattering anxiously. Hearing the door open, Grace turned to face me, and I shrank back in my doorframe, hoping she hadn't seen me.

She had. In an instant she was standing before me, looking at me, and the bag across my shoulders. Nodding over her head at the maid, Samiko, she stepped over the threshold of my room, and I grew silent.

"Where are you going?" Grace asked, straight to the point. Her voice was soft, and I could hint a touch of worry and concern. Not wanting her to see the lie in my eyes, I looked away.

"Nowhere," I said flatly, rubbing the tip of my shoes over the carpet again. She quirked an eyebrow, adjusting Hajime in her arms. Seeing the anxious look on Samiko's face, I walked forward and extended my arms. She more than willingly handed Mamoru over to me, and I held him close to me, bouncing up and down rhythmically. Grace continued staring at me, and I distracted myself by fiddling with the baby's onesie.

"Why is it that I don't believe you?" she asked, sitting down on the foot of my bed.

I wanted to tell her. Something about her –the way she spoke, perhaps- reminded me of my mother, and I found myself wanting to tell her everything. But I shook my head, and looked into Mamoru's blue eyes… So innocent and sweet… "I don't know," I said. "Trust issues?"

She laughed, and I felt myself longing for my parents even more as I realized how calm she was being, given the situation. Silently, I sat down beside her, patting Mamoru on the back softly, eyes on the floor.

There was a moment of silence before she spoke again. "You think they're after you, don't they?"

The fact that she had guessed that much made me spill everything. "They are! I know that they are, I just don't know why! But it doesn't matter _why!" _I jumped to my feet, pacing back and forth, Mamoru cooing, completely oblivious to the chaos in the surrounding world. "It doesn't matter why they want me. All I know is that I have to get out of here, now! I don't want anyone else to get kidnapped!"

She bowed her head, rocking a sleeping Hajime in her arms. "Do you really think it will help?" she asked, her voice barely that of a whisper; so soft that I had to strain my ears to hear it. "Do you really think leaving is going to protect anyone? If they come here, and we say you're not here, what's to stop them from searching every house, and punishing anyone who seems even the slightest bit suspicious?"

I shook my head. No, I had made up my mind. I wasn't about to let her talk me out of my decision. As much as I would have _loved _to stay here, I knew I couldn't.

The thirty-eight principle of shinobi conduct clearly stated that we should never let our guard down… That we should never let ourselves fall into a state of false insecurity… One moment of weakness could end everything. Once again, I shook my head. "No. No. It doesn't _matter _what I do. _Nothing's _going to stop them. They might have attacked that night. My parents could be…" I couldn't bring myself to utter the last word. For a third time, I shook my head, bringing my hand to my mouth to stop myself from saying anything else. Finally, I choked out, "I have to go. Please," I added, as she opened her mouth to say something. I turned to her finally, making no attempt to hide the tears streaming down my face. "Don't try and stop me."

Another maid, Yuriko, appeared in the doorway. I jumped up, gently pushed Mamoru into her arms, and then darted past her.

"Saeko, matte!" But I was already at the end of the hallway, jumping down the stairs two at a time, running across elegant carpets, and then out the front door. People were running all around through the streets. I had no idea where I was going; but three months and a week in this village had taught me a lot about the layout of the village, and the world beyond it.

My feet slammed against the cobbled streets, but I couldn't hear my own footsteps through the noises of the terrified crowd. Soon, the paths faded into sand; I had passed through the village gates.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The desert was a pitch black wasteland. My feet led me on through the black sheet of darkness that surrounded me. I was freezing; it was hard to believe that a place could be _so _hot during the day, yet so cold during the night… The only sounds were my own beating heart and my sobs, and my footfalls on the hard sand. I held my hands in front of my face; I could _barely _see my own pale skin in the dark.

Silently, I cast a glance over my shoulder. The village was far away now; I could only see a dark online, speckled with shining diamonds of light. Had Grace informed anyone that I was gone? Would anyone come after me? What was going on now?

I was overwhelmed with thoughts. One more worry was going to kill me, I knew, and I found myself sinking to the ground, running my hands over my face. I longed to turn around and go back. But I couldn't. I had come too far… How stupid would I look returning now? Then again, pride was the last thing on my mind at that particular moment. Right then, there were too many things going on in my mind for any to be the most important.

I raised a shaking hand to my face, wiping away the tears. I couldn't stop now. I had to keep going. Hesitantly, I pushed myself back onto my feet, and staggered a few steps before collapsing against a large rock, sobbing once more.

But through the sobs, I still managed to hear it. It was soft, almost inaudible, but unmistakable. Footsteps. They grew quiet as I did, whoever it was, they were well aware that I knew they were there.

I was shivering, and it wasn't because of the cold. "Who's there?" I asked, looking around in the darkness.

"Sae, what are you _thinking?" _

I let out a sigh of relief as I recognized Kiyoshi's voice, but it quickly disappeared. "Kiyoshi! What do you think you're doing here? Go away, go back! Get _out _of here-"

"Whoa, calm down for a minute."

I let out an angry scoff, and folded my arms across my chest as I leaned against the boulder. "Why are you here?" I demanded, my voice heavy and laced with venom.

He sighed. "Why do you _think _I'm here?"

"For me?"

"Wow, you're good at this."

Despite the situation, I smiled, but quickly shook my head, remembering that I was mad at him for being here. "I didn't want anyone to come after me. That's why I didn't tell anyone I was leaving! And I'm not going back!"

"Then I'll just have to go with you."

I shook my head again. "NO!" I screamed. "No, Kiyoshi, you can't go with me! They'll come after me, and I don't want you to get-"

"Hurt?" he asked, in a calm voice. Once again, I sank down to the ground, burying my face in my knees and hugging my legs tightly.

"No," I said again. "No, you can't come with me. No, no, no! You can't! Just go back, Kiyoshi!"

For the first time in as long as I can remember, he seemed angry as he spoke. "Listen, I know why you think you have to go on your own, but you need to stop worrying about me. Worry about yourself, ok? Nothing you say is going to change my mind. If you're leaving, I am too."

I bit down on my lip, almost hard enough to taste the metallic blood… "I'm not worried about myself."

"Well, you should be. What if you run into one of them?" he asked, and when I said nothing, he continued. "That's why _I'm _going with you! Someone has to be there to protect you." He no longer sounded angry. In a moment, I looked up, and he was kneeling before me, brushing damp hair from my forehead, smiling reassuringly. I tried to protest again, but he shook his head, and then his arms were around me, and I was burying my face in his shoulder, like I had done so many times before…"

After what felt like hours of silence, during which we stared at the faraway black dot of Sunagakure, he spoke up. "So, what's the plan?" he asked.

We were lying on our backs now, staring up at the clouds in the sky, and the occasional star that glinted in between them. I rolled over onto my side, resting one arm on his chest. "What do you mean?" I asked.

He blinked. "Well, we obviously aren't going back now. Where are we going, and when?"

I shrugged. "I don't know," I said, and then rolled back onto my back, pressing against him. "We can't stay down long though, especially not lying out in the open like this."

He nodded, and then he was helping me to my feet, and as I looked around, I recognized the area we were in as the one we had walked along on the way back from our mission… When we had been so carefree, racing and tackling each other, laughing and trying desperately to catch up to Minoshi and Koshibana-sensei… I wondered if they were ok.

As we walked, we talked about them. About all the missing people and their families, though not my parents. Even if he had asked about them, I would have answered… Kiyoshi was probably the only one who I could comfortably talk to about the whole thing.

We camped in a forest that night, beneath a balcony of vines and branches. He stayed up, keeping guard, though I told him it probably wasn't necessary. I found myself comforted in his presence; I felt safe, like nothing in this world mattered anymore. Like everything was ok. Like I was five years old again, and there wasn't a care in the world. But when I woke up, I knew that everything would be all business and unanswered questions.

**A/N: Well, I'm amazed at how fast these updates are coming. If it weren't midnight at the moment, I'd start on Chapter 12, seeing as I've pretty much already got it planned out. **


	12. The Journey Begins

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Authoress' Notes: OK, so we have a story plot now! A short review of what's happened recently: Ayami, Hikari, Satoru, Kane, and Takeshi have ended up missing, as have various Chuunin, Jonin, and women from various ninja countries. Temari took Kiyoshi and Saeko to Sunagakure, where they were all staying in the Kazekage mansion, until Saeko decided that she needed to leave, so no one else would get hurt. When the village was in a state of chaos, she left, only to find Kiyoshi following her. And that's about all. **

**Let's see… What else? Oh, I know! I know that there's at **_**least **_**a **_**few **_**of you reading this story! I'm updating pretty quickly, I know, but I'd really appreciate it if you would take five seconds to tell me what you think. No, once again, I'm not threatening to quit writing if you don't, but I might stop updating daily. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_We camped in a forest that night, beneath a balcony of vines and branches. He stayed up, keeping guard, though I told him it probably wasn't necessary. I found myself comforted in his presence; I felt safe, like nothing in this world mattered anymore. Like everything was ok. Like I was five years old again, and there wasn't a care in the world. But when I woke up, I knew that everything would be all business and unanswered questions_.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The next morning, I awoke with a start, panting heavily, palms coated in sweat. I don't remember what I was dreaming about, though I believed it was more than safe to say it was something about the Akatsuki. And maybe my parents. Kiyoshi had fallen asleep, despite his efforts not to. He was sitting up, his back against a tree, and his head lolling.

I smiled to myself, happy that he was there, but upset about it all the same. Well, it didn't do any good to be upset anymore. He was coming, and there was no way that I'd be able to talk him out of it. But… the thought that he was leaving his family behind, for _me, _made my heart ache inside my chest.

Silently, so as not to disturb him, I scrambled to my feet, and began walking through the forest, taking in the multi-colored leaves, and the pale sunlight that filtered in from above. I thought back to the previous night, and realized just how far we had managed to go before camping. Was anyone looking for us? Had Grace informed the Kazekage? And, if so, had he sent someone out to search for us?

Even if he had, no one had managed to find us. That was one of the only few things that I could be sure of at that moment. That and the fact that Kiyoshi was with me, and I wasn't in Konoha, and I wasn't in Sunagakure. For some reason, I found myself thinking back to my talk with Grace, and the warmth that I felt as I held Mamoru in my arms.

Had my mom felt that way when she held me as a baby? If my dad had been there, would he have felt that way?

_No, _I told myself, shaking my head. _I don't have time to worry about such things anymore. All that matters now is finding them. And staying away from the Akatsuki. _But that would be pretty hard, considering they knew what I looked like. If they were _really _searching for me, they'd be able to find me. This thought in mind, I stumbled down a small, grassy hillside, and found myself standing before a sparkling pond, half obscured by trees.

Silently, I sank down to my knees and stared down at my shimmering reflection in the surface of the water. I hadn't looked at a mirror so seriously for… well, for as long as I could remember. The girl that stared back at me (and yes, I say 'girl' because she looked far too weak to be called 'lady' or 'woman') was scrawny, pale, and looked altogether helpless. Insignificant. It fit perfectly; insignificant was _exactly _how I was feeling at that moment.

Barely a year ago, my life had gone from lonely to happy. From gray to white. My father had returned home after thirteen years of being gone, and everything had gone from bad to great. My worries disappeared, and, for the most part, I was completely worry-free. But now, everything was different.

Now I knew who I was.

I was the daughter of Sasuke Uchiha. The niece of Itachi Uchiha, the man who had single-handedly slaughtered his entire clan… But what was he after now? Was he trying to finish what he started? Try as I might, I couldn't think of any other explanation.

Bowing my head, I ran the palm of my hand over the surface of the water, shattering the reflection of a ghost that stared back up at me. A ghost. That's all I was. A pale, helpless little nobody, with no past, and no evident future. The only thing I could see ahead of me was a life of hiding, and searching for two people who I might not stand a _chance _of finding. Two people who might very well be dead.

But, then again, there were more than two people. Hikari, Satoru, Kane, Takeshi… Even Ayami. They were out there somewhere (possibly dead), and it was all my fault. I had to find them. I had to save them, no matter what it cost me.

The water had grown still again, and once more I looked at the girl who stared back up at me. Yes, it would be far too easy to find me looking like this. Without a word, I brought my hand up and grabbed onto a lock of hair, which went almost down to my waist. Drawing a shaking hand to the pouch on my thigh, I pulled out a kunai, and wasted no time chopping off six inches of raven hair.

It was too long, anyway. Despite how much I had changed over the years, I still couldn't stand having long hair. Which brought me to the question: why had I allowed myself to grow it out so long in the first place? Probably because, up until now, no one had ever cut my hair except for my mother.

"No," I said aloud. "I don't have time for sentimentalities."

And I didn't. Hesitantly, I twisted my hair into a bun, pinning it to my scalp and rising to my feet, lips set in a determined line. When I arrived back at the campsite, Kiyoshi was nowhere to be seen. I stopped dead in my tracks over a blanket of leaves I had fallen asleep on, blood pounding in my ears, looking around frantically.

"There you are!"

I screamed as I felt a hand fall on my shoulder. Wide eyed, I turned on my heels to face him, glaring as he grinned at me innocently. After a long moment of silence, he tilted his head to one side.

"You cut your hair?"

"Uh… oh, yeah. It was getting hard to deal with," I said flatly, and he shrugged.

"Looks better short, anyway."

I smiled, and then looked up at the ceiling of branches above us, seeing through gaps that the sky was darker now, meaning it was somewhere near midmorning.

"Well, where to?" Kiyoshi asked, and I looked back down.

Bending down to retrieve my bag, I thought about it. I threw the bag over my shoulders and got back to my feet, hesitating a moment before saying, "I want to go back to Konoha first."

He nodded, and I gave him a grateful smile. Kiyoshi was the only one I could count on at this moment. Kiyoshi was the only one who understood _why _I left, and _why _I wanted to go back to my home village.

"They have to be there," I said, turning away from him. I heard him gathering something up behind me, shoving things into a bag that he had grabbed before chasing after me when I left last night.

"Yeah…" he said, and then we started walking.

The sun continued its ascent in the blue sky, and we walked further and further, not stopping at either of the two villages that we passed before sunset. Finally, though, when the sky had faded from blue to purple, and then from orange to pink, and navy blue, we were beginning to grow tired. Seeing as we were both aching from walking all day, neither one of us felt like sleeping on hard earth again.

So we followed along a dirt path in the middle of a vast forest, until we finally came to a village called Soukimo. It was a small, cozy village. The air was cold, and smoke billowed from the chimneys. Lights cast rectangle-shaped patches on the cobbled paths from open windows. In short, the village looked like a comfortable, peaceful place.

I took in every detail of the village as Kiyoshi and I walked along through the streets. Beyond a few open windows, mothers stood over kitchen sinks. Some people looked up as we passed, a few of which smiled and waved. Others stared at us curiously, and once, a woman with bright orange hair even shrunk back beneath the half-drawn curtains. I looked over at Kiyoshi, but he hadn't noticed. Or, if he had, he wasn't showing it.

Pushing the matter to the back of my mind, I continued walking, until we came to a square in the village center. In the middle of the square, there was a great fountain. Water poured from the base of a statue of five people, (two women and three men). Blinking, I made my way over to the statue, and read the words engraved on a stone tablet on the edge of the fountain.

_From left to right: Sachiko Mizuko, Yashimaru Zokimi, Aiko Obitaki, Haru Mizuko, and Yasuo Hamatake. _

I looked up at the faces, studying them in the order their names were in on the stone tablet. Sachiko Mizuko… a starry-eyed woman, who looked like she could easily be in her late teens. Yashimaru Zokimi, a tall, lanky man with a goofy grin upon his face. Aiko Obitaki, a girl with short, choppy hair and a determined look on her face. Haru Mizuko, who looked nothing like Sachiko (I noticed that they had the same last name), except for he seemed to have an air of splendor about him as well. And Yasuo Hamatake… A serious-looking, slightly chubby man, with short and spiky hair.

"Hey, Kiyoshi, check this out!" I called over my shoulder. He had been walking around the square, looking in through the windows of the shops and buildings that lined it. I heard his footsteps echoing through the air, and then he was standing beside me, giving the tablet a quick glance, and then looking up at the statue.

"What's with the statue?"

"Read the tablet."

"_You _read it."

I rolled my eyes. Sometimes, Kiyoshi could easily be mistaken as a relative of Shikamaru's, what with how lazy he was. Deciding against protesting, I looked back down at the tablet, and read aloud: "_This statue stands in the middle of the Soukimo Town Square, in honor of the five heroes who lost their lives in the Great Ninja Wars. All five of the heroes were born and rasied in Soukimo and their stories have become a legend that the villagers still continue to pass on through the generations. May their memory live on forever."_

"Wow…" I said, beneath my breath. I reached up and placed my hand above the stone tablet, but as soon as my fingers touched the stone, someone let out a loud yell.

"Don't touch that!"

Kiyoshi and I whirled around to face a tall man, whose blue eyes flashed dangerously in the moonlight. I looked at him, noting that he looked familiar, before turning around to look at the statue one more time. Pushing a strand of hair behind my ear, I turned back to the man one more time.

Yes, the man who stood before us very much resembled the Sachiko Mizuko in the statue behind us.

"Oh, wait a minute," the man said, when no one spoke for a while. I could feel eyes upon us; people were watching from the windows of the buildings all around us. "I don't think I've seen you two around here before? Are you new to Soukimo?"

I nodded, taking a step forward. "Yes," I said, faking the most mature voice I could manage. "We're from out of town."

The man examined both of us, as if trying to decided whether or not we looked trustworthy. Finally, he spoke again. "Ah. Well, forgive me for snapping. I thought you might have been someone from this village. Anyway, what brings you to this neck of the woods, if you don't mind my asking?" 

Before I could answer, Kiyoshi stepped forward and said, "We were actually looking for a place to stay," he said casually, looking around at all the buildings. A few dark figured disappeared from the lit windows of the buildings. "We're travelers."

I gulped, thankful that my headband was safely in my backpack.

"I see," said the man. "Well, have you found anyplace yet?"

"No sir," I said, bowing my head thoughtfully.

No one spoke for a moment. Finally, the man cleared his throat. "Well, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Takeharu Mizuko," –Kiyoshi and I exchanged glances- "and I would be honored if you would come and stay in my household. My wife would be thrilled –we haven't had visitors in a long time. Won't you please come?" he asked.

I looked over at Kiyoshi, who shrugged. I smiled, and turned to Takeharu-san. "Arigatou," I said, and he smiled as he began to lead us across the square. The house he led us to was sandwiched between a flower shop (I thought of Toshi and his family), and a bakery. He knocked on the front door, and a few seconds later, it swung open.

Before us, in the frame of the door, stood a little girl, whose black hair was pulled up in two braids, tied at the ends by red ribbons. I stopped, dead in my tracks, staring straight at her. But it wasn't the child that I was seeing… No, I was seeing Satoru. This girl looked so much like her…

"Sae?"

I blinked. "Oh, I'm sorry," I said to the girl. "Please excuse me." She stared up at me with wide eyes, before a wide grin stretched across her face.

"Daddy, you bwought us visitors! Mommy's going to be so happy!" I forced a laugh as the girl turned and disappeared into the house. Takeharu-san smiled cheerfully, before leading us inside.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"Sumimasen Takeharu-san," I said, looking up from my half-empty plate. "Demo… After reading the stone tablet in the village square, I was wondering…"

"Hai, I'm the son of Sachiko and Haru Mizuko." He said, with a smile.

I nodded, smiling back.

"Saeko-chan! Where are you fwom?" I looked over at the girl, Suzume. Shortly after we had arrived, Takeharu-san's wife, Karin, had gracefully provided us dinner, and we had all exchanged introductions.

I smiled at her sympathetically, following a plan that Kiyoshi and I had created on our walk here; we weren't to tell anyone _anything _except our names. "Well, I don't really know," I lied. "I never knew my parents" –the lie almost tore me apart- "I was raised by a women in Iwagakure, but I just recently found out that she wasn't my mother."

Karin-san put a hand to her mouth. "That's terrible," she said. "I'm so sorry to hear that."

"It's fine," I said cheerfully.

Takeharu-san then turned to Kiyoshi. "And, if I may, where are _you _from?"

Kiyoshi took a moment to chew and swallow the roll he had crammed into his mouth merely moments before being spoken to. "Well, I'm from the Hidden Waterfall Village," he said. "Though, I've barely spent any of my life there. When I was younger, my father traveled the world, and he often took me with him. Which is the reason why I became a traveler myself."

"I see," Takeharu-san said.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

About an hour later, when Karin-san had retreated upstairs to put Suzume-chan to bed for the night, Takeharu-san led Kiyoshi and me into a large room. The three of us kicked off our shoes, and stepped up onto the tatami floor. The three of us kneeled down around a table in the center of the room, and he poured us all cups of tea.

"So," he said, after taking a sip of the tea. It was sweet. "Have the two of you heard anything of the recent disappearances?" he asked.

Kiyoshi opened his mouth to say something, but I elbowed him lightly, all the while smiling at Takeharu-san.

"Disappearances?" I asked, my smile fading away.

Takeharu nodded. "Yes. Rumor is that children and women have been going missing from all over the ninja countries! And just yesterday, it was reported that Jonin and Chuunin are now disappearing as well."

"How awful!" I said.

"Yes," Takeharu said, nodding. "However, the most recent report states that the Akatsuki –surely you've heard of them- have returned, and are searching every village and city for someone. Someone came to this village today and declared that a small town a few miles away from Suna was raided."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "Oh?" I asked, and once again Takeharu nodded.

"Hai," he said. "Apparently, they've taken to holding hostages. They've threatened to keep the hostages until they find what they're looking for. Isn't that terrible?" he asked, looking towards the ceiling. Towards Suzume's room.

"Hai… it is," Kiyoshi said.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"Kiyoshi, we have to get out of here!" I hissed, a few minutes after Takeharu had disappeared upstairs.

Despite the fact that he was half-asleep on the futon in the room Takeharu had lent to him, Kiyoshi nodded and sat up. "I know," he said. "I've been thinking the same thing. And we have to go now, before any of them come back down."

I nodded, shifting the backpack on my shoulders. I had never unpacked, in the first place. Apparently, neither had Kiyoshi, because his bad remained untouched where he had thrown it down earlier.

It wasn't the fact that they were near Sunagakure that scared me. No, what was bothering me was the resemblance between Satoru and Suzume, and the possibility that Suzume could be taken away if the Akatsuki were to come here.

I looked down at the scroll in my hand. Though it was rolled up, I knew what it said. It was a goodbye note, and it read: _Arigatou for your hospitality. Gomenasai for leaving in such a hurry, demo there was an emergency. Arigatou!_

We left the room, and I placed the scroll on the table of the room we had drunk our tea in. Without a backwards glance, we opened the front door and stepped out into the cool night air.

**A/N: This chapter is longer than the previous three, I do believe. I hope you enjoyed it. **

**Oh, and one special note: For those of you that watch FullMetal Alchemist, Saeko's hair is pulled up like Lieutenant Hawkeye's.**


	13. A Narrow Escape

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Authoress' Notes: Hey everyone! Anyway, I'm going to get straight to the point. We now **_**officially **_**have a complete outline! (Even though it's constantly being edited, it goes all the way to the final chapter). We still have quite a few chapters to go, though, so I won't give anything away. Special thinks to my dear friend GaaraCutie for discussing my ideas with me. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**Chapter Thirteen- A Narrow Escape**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_I looked down at the scroll in my hand. Though it was rolled up, I knew what it said. It was a goodbye note, and it read: Arigatou for your hospitality. Gomenasai for leaving in such a hurry, demo there was an emergency. Arigatou!_

_We left the room, and I placed the scroll on the table of the room we had drunk our tea in. Without a backwards glance, we opened the front door and stepped out into the cool night air._

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

When we finally stopped running, almost two whole hours after we had left the village, I collapsed onto the ground in pain, a searing pain throbbing in my ribs. Rolling onto my back, I looked towards the sky, which was partially obscured by branches. We had entered yet another forest.

Breathing heavily, I pushed myself up onto my elbows, trying to remember how long it had taken us to return to Konoha after our mission to Suna. Surely it hadn't been _this _long. No, on our way back from the mission, we hadn't stopped anyway. Not to mention we had traveled along a different path.

Suddenly, I looked around, wondering where Kiyoshi had gone off to. I didn't have to look far. He was sitting at the trunk of a tree a few feet away, palm on his forehead, apparently lost in thought. Instead of getting up, I watched him silently, my eyes wide. All at once, I felt the weight of the world, a thousand pounds of guilt, weighing down on my shoulders. "Kiyo…shi…"

He didn't respond. After a long moment of silence, I staggered to my feet and stumbled over to him, collapsing to my knees beside him. Hesitantly, I reached up and put a hand to his shoulder. Though he didn't draw away, I noticed that he grew stiff at my touch. "Kiyoshi, listen… You heard Takeshi-san. He said that they raided a village a little ways away from Sunagakure. Maybe they haven't…" I couldn't bring myself to say anymore. Surely, though I tried to convince myself otherwise, they had gotten to Suna by now. If they were going to go there, then they already had.

Once again, he didn't say anything. I forced a small, sympathetic smile, before turning away, leaning against the opposite side of the tree, staring into the depths of the forest. At that moment in time, I _hated _myself. I hated myself for leaving my village. I hated myself for allowing Kiyoshi to follow after me after I left _his _village… I hated myself for reasons that didn't even make sense to _me. _

"You're blaming yourself."

His voice brought me out of my reverie; I blinked, and then turned around, looking around the trunk of the tree. "How do you figure that?" I asked.

He scoffed. "Please. I know you better than that," he said, without turning to look at me. "You shouldn't be blaming yourself. None of this is your fault, and you know it. And before you say it, I'm not mad at you, I'm just worried."

I closed my eyes, resting my forehead against the bark of the tree, still sitting on the side opposite him. "I don't know what to do anymore..." I said. Finally, he turned around and scrambled over to my side of the tree.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "We're going to go back to Konoha. And we're going to find out exactly what's going on."

I closed my eyes, fighting back tears, and shook my head. "No."

But before he could ask me what I was talking about, we both whirled around to stare into the forest. I cast him a sideways glance, silently asking if he had heard it. He nodded, and we both continued looking around. I opened my mouth to say something, but all that came out was a scream as a shuriken flew out of nowhere, hitting the bark of the tree, inches away from Kiyoshi's head and mine. Shaking, I gulped, and turned once more to look into the forest.

I thought I saw a patch of darkness shimmering slightly, but before I could make out any details, Kiyoshi had hauled me to my feet, and then we were running, through the forest, deeper and deeper. Someone was behind us- I could hear their footsteps, but I couldn't bring myself to look back. My heart was beating in my throat, making it harder and harder to breathe.

And then everything disappeared. The sounds of our footsteps (both mine and Kiyoshi's, and the person who was following us), and my beating heart disappeared, and everything turned into black, and I felt the wind being knocked out of me. I don't know how many times I flipped over; all I know was that I kept feeling my skin crash upon the ground, again and again… Finally, I stopped, and lay motionless with my eyes closed, either barely breathing or breathing too heavily. Every bone in my body was aching; I heard Kiyoshi call my name, and with his voice, all of the sounds came back… Whoever was following us had stopped running, and was now coming closer at a slow pace.

And then their was a strange, _swish-_ing noise, and an apparently feminine, yet raspy voice, called out, "Hurry, get out of here!"

Swallowing, and wincing in pain, I cracked one eye open. Everything was a blur; all I could see were two dark blobs, though one of them appeared to be spotted with flecks of red. An Akatsuki cloak!

"Now!" the raspy voice called out again, and I heard the sudden clash of metal, and then Kiyoshi was pulling me to my feet, draping my arm over his shoulders, and jumping from tree branch to tree branch. I felt my head rising and falling, and myself slipping in and out of consciousness. The last thing I remembered was thinking how familiar, yet so distinct the raspy voice had sounded, and then I was waking up beneath a ceiling of stones, in a damp, cold cavern or some sort.

"Wh-what… happened?" I asked, to no one in particular (I had yet to regain my senses, and was still lying their, unaware of where I was, who was with me, if anyone, and _why _I was there). Finally, I remembered, and I tried to sit up. My body disapproved of the sudden movement, apparently, for I let out a yelp of pain, and I collapsed back to the ground, finding it strangely soft for a cavern floor. Mustering up all of my strength, I turned my head, and looked at the dark cloak that I was lying on.

For a moment, I almost panicked, but calmed down as I realized that there were no red clouds on the cloak.

"Ah, so you're finally awake."

I recognized the voice immediately. "Grace-san!" I sat up again, biting my lip and wincing in pain again. In a moment, she was kneeling down beside me, and pushing me back onto the cloak.

Suddenly, I realized something. Grace had been crying. "Daijoubu ka?" I asked, looking up into her bloodshot eyes worriedly.

"Hai. Daijoubu," she assured me, smiling a small, wry smile. I gave her an I-don't-believe-you look, and she sighed. "Don't worry about me. Right now, the first thing you need to concentrate on is yourself, and getting better. So lie down and get some rest."

"Demo-" I started, but before I could finish my thought (I remember that it had something to do with Kiyoshi) I drifted into a deep sleep once more.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The next time I woke up, I was lying in the same position on the same cloak. This time, I was quicker at recovering my wits, and forced myself into a sitting position, as silently as I could. A few feet ahead of me, Grace sat with her back turned toward me, staring into the depths of a small fire. Gulping, I struggled onto my feet, and wobbled over to flop down beside her.

For a moment, she didn't say anything. Finally, without tearing her eyes away from the weak flames, she said, "It's good to see you're finally awake." Once again, her voice was raspy, as if she had been… crying.

"Grace-san, are you ok?" I asked.

I expected her to say she was fine once more, but she shook her head. "No… not quite."

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice rising with alarm. She cast me a sideways glance, and frowned.

"Actually, it's about the Akatsuki-"

Hearing the word made me remember that night- I had no idea how many days _or _nights had passed while I was unconscious-, and I rudely interrupted. "It was one of the Akatsuki who attacked us, right?"

She nodded, and went on. "They got to Sunagakure," she said, and my eyes bulged inside their sockets.

My throat was dry, but I managed to choke out a question. A question which I feared the answer of. "But… everyone's… ok, right?"

She shook her head again. "Actually, they're not." She paused for a moment, before saying, "They got Hajime and Mamoru."

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The news tore away at my heart. I felt the tears spring to my eyes, and I shook my head, unable to bring myself to say anything, besides, "I'm so sorry." I cursed myself for saying it; surely, if I hadn't left, and they had come, they would have just taken me, and left the twins.

"Kuso…" I grumbled, ramming my fist into the stone floor and immediately wincing in pain. She looked up at me.

"Watch your mouth, kid."

"I'm sorry…" I said again, but she shook her head.

"No," she said. "You've done nothing to apologize for." I started to protest, but she held up a hand to silence me. "Besides, there's nothing that words can do now. Which is why… I'm going with the two of you."

_The two of you. _I looked around suddenly, searching in the dim light for a golden flicker. I spotted him a few yards away, leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest, chin against his collarbone. Unlike the way he had in the other few occasions I had seen him sleeping, he looked _anything _but peaceful. There were slightly evident bags under his eyes, and his lips were stretched into a tight, un-Kiyoshi-ish frown. He appeared to be sleeping.

Noticing that I was watching him, Grace spoke up. "He just passed out. He's been watching you for eight days straight… he wouldn't leave your side, and he wouldn't sleep until you woke up. I mean, you woke up on the third day after we arrived here for a few moments, but he was really quick to knock you back out. He was really worried…"

My heart seemed to split in two for some reason. Probably because of the pang of guilt I felt- why should he be worried about _me, _the one who was responsible for this whole thing?

No one said anything for a moment. Finally, I spoke up. "And the Akatsuki member?"

"He retreated," she said, and quickly changed the subject. "Now, I'm sure you two already had plans… Where are we going first."

The fact that she, a grown woman who was already married and had her own kids (even if they were missing) was asking _me, _an insignificant child, where we were going, made me think back to a long-forgotten day, when I was four years old.

"_Mommy, let's play vacation!" I said, throwing a plastic flashlight in a small backpack. I was lying in the center of the room, amidst a sea of plastic toys, consisting of fake food, weapons, etc. _

_My mother came into the room, and kneeled down beside me, a smile upon her face. "Ok," she said cheerfully. "Where are we going?"_

_I felt a wave of authority pass over me as I grabbed her hand, throwing the backpack over my shoulders. "We're going to the Snow Village!" I said, nodding to myself. _

_She laughed, and allowed me to lead her across the room to a far corner. The floor was matted by layers of white thread, white strips of paper, anything white that I had placed to look like snow. In the 'snow', I had placed a straight line of evenly-spaced pieces of rock candy. Footsteps. _

_After a few minutes of playing in the snow (I ended up throwing shredded paper into the air like confetti), I led her over to another corner, claiming that it was Sunagakure. "Where Kiyoshi's mom is fwom!" I said. She smiled down at me, not bothering to brush away the shreds of paper in her hair. She was always so patient with me… _

"Konoha," I said. When given the chance to lead, one must speak their mind. The fifty-second principle of shinobi conduct. "I want to go back to Konoha for a while."

**A/N: Chapter Complete. Can't think of anything to say, except for the fact that, if it wasn't 11:18 PM, I would start on Chapter Fourteen. **


	14. Konoha

**Chapter Fourteen- Konoha**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Authoress' Notes: Well, not much to say this time, I'm afraid. Not that anyone ever **_**reads **_**the authoress' notes anyways. Well, please review. I'll give you a cookie if you do. Please. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"_Konoha," I said. When given the chance to lead, one must speak their mind. The fifty-second principle of shinobi conduct. "I want to go back to Konoha for a while."_

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

We left at the crack of dawn the following morning. No one talked much; there was a stretched silence between Kiyoshi and I, and Grace seemed to be too lost in though to speak. So we walked along in silence, each in our own worlds. I was constantly looking around; from Kiyoshi to the woods behind us, and then back down to the ground.

We were drawing closer with every passing minute, but with each step we took, my heart sank deeper in my chest. Maybe I didn't want to see the village after all. I was beyond terrified of what I may find when we arrived again. What if… No, now wasn't the time to back down. Now was the time to stay strong, and believe that everything was going to be ok. Because it was. It had to be.

I blinked, realizing how bright it was. The reason? Looking up, I saw that we were no longer standing beneath branches. No, now we were standing on the far edge of a rocky field, through which a stream of water flowed. I looked around, and my eyes came to rest on the side of the field opposite us. Almost a mile away, I could see another stretch of forest. And I instantly knew that Konoha lie within those woods.

My heart skipped a beat. Within minutes, I would see what had become of my village. Anxiously, I shifted feet, trying to decide whether or not I _really _wanted to see it….

My feet pounded against the grass. I hopped over the stream of water, and continued running, until the light faded, and I was surrounded by the familiar trees. No, there wasn't time for nostalgia, either. I didn't know which was faster; my beating heart or my feet falling upon the ground. The trees fanned out and grew closer around me; everything went by in an interpretable swirl of green and brown. I didn't know if Kiyoshi or Grace were following me- all that mattered was that I was running farther and farther, until at last I stumbled through the village gates.

Panting for breath, I looked around, wide-eyed. Nothing was the same. Carts and stalls had been toppled over; the street was littered with splinters of wood, tiles… For the most part, the houses were still standing, though a few windows had been broken, apparently. Hesitantly, I started through the streets, breathlessly taking in the damage around me, until I finally stopped at the end of my street.

I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry. Hands shaking in front of me, I slowly started towards my house, and when I stood before it, I stopped dead in my tracks. The living room window was shattered; the dark curtains were blowing in the ominous breeze. The front door had been broken in; it lie on the street, split in two like nothing but a toothpick.

My legs like led, I stumbled over the threshold, and let out a cry of horror. If the outside was bad, it was nothing compared to the interior. Glass lay, strewn about the floor, amidst a sea of various other items. Picture frames had fallen to the ground, now nothing but shattered glass and cracked wood. There were scuff marks all over the floor, and even a few crimson dots of what could be nothing else but blood. I let out a choked sob, and ran up the stairs.

I threw their bedroom door open. They weren't there… Of course they weren't. But the only question was: where _were _they? The bedroom was a mess, as well. Shaking my head, I crossed the hall to my room, only to find it empty, and in the same condition.

"Nani… What happened here?" I asked, my voice soft and high-pitched. Suddenly, the silence seemed to weigh down upon my shoulders, and I shook my head, fleeing both the room and the house.

This wasn't right. This had to be a dream- this was an illusion. Someone was tricking us. We were falling into their trap by believing what we saw. At least, that's what I tried to tell myself. Kiyoshi and Grace were looking at the houses in silence, and I was running through the streets, peering in houses through broken windows and busted down doors. No one was there. As far as I could tell, Kiyoshi, Grace, and I, were the only living (I feared to search for dead bodies) people here.

I continued running, not knowing where I was going, or even if I was going someplace in particular. My feet slapped against the cobbled street, the echoes of my footsteps reverberating all around me. Tears were pouring down my cheeks; it shouldn't look like this. This isn't how it should be.

Where was everyone? All the houses were deserted, so had they all fled? Or had they all been kidnapped… or worse, killed.

As I ran, I reached up for the silver locket around my neck, as if it would provide some comfort. It didn't. I turned another corner, and then I felt the wind being knocked out of me.

"Ohhh…. Ow, that hurt," I said, landing on my bottom on the ground. I opened my eyes, muttering apologies. "Gomenasai, I wasn't looking where I was-"

But looking into the face of the person I stood before, I stopped dead in my tracks. "Ino-san!" I cried, rubbing my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Luckily, I wasn't. She was standing before me, though she was an entirely different person from the Ino Yamanaka I had seen that night three and a half months ago. Her hair was down for the first time in my living memory; wispy strands straggled about her face. Her ocean-blue eyes, and the bags beneath them, made evident sleepless nights, and long-lived grief and misery. In short, it wasn't her. This woman standing before me _couldn't _be my mother's best friend, who I knew so well.

I wanted to ask her if she was ok, but common sense kept me from doing so. Of course she wasn't ok. After all, how could she be, when her helpless, six year old daughter was missing?

"Saeko-chan?" she asked, as if suddenly realizing (even after I had run into her) that I was there. This, of course, scared me. She had always been headstrong and alert. And another thing I noticed was her voice. It was raspy, and monotonous.

Not finding anything else to say, I gestured towards the village around us. "What happened her, Ino-san? Do you know?"

After a short pause, she nodded. "Do you remember that night, three months ago? When you left?" I nodded, and she went on. "They attacked."

Grace and Kiyoshi were behind me now, but they didn't say anything. Ino's lips were set in a grave line, and I silently took in what she had just told me. Sure, I had long since convinced myself that that was what had happened… but that was just my thoughts. Now that she had confirmed my fears…

"Ino-san, where are my parents?" I didn't ask her if she knew. For some reason, I could tell that she knew.

"Well…" she looked around, as if she thought someone was listening in. Finally, she turned back to me and said, in a throaty voice. "They've been meeting with Shikamaru and a few others," she said. I looked up at her with wide-eyes. So they were alive! "Kiba," she said, looking at Kiyoshi, who blinked. "Sakura, your father, Shikamaru, me… There's a whole group of us. We've been meeting in various locations, discussing… Well, the Akatsuki, of course."

I nodded, and then something came to my mind. "Are you going to see them again soon? Can I come with you?"

Unfortunately, she shook her head. "No, it's safer for you to stay on the run and well hidden, for the time being."

My shoulders sagged, and she quickly said, in a more Ino-like voice (though it still wasn't _anything _like her original voice), "However, there is something I was told to give you. I was hoping that I would find you here, seeing as the people in Suna said that you were missing."

I bowed my head, a child being reprimanded. After a long moment, I looked back up to find her holding out a tied scroll to me. I grabbed it with a shaky hand, looking from it to her, and then back at the scroll again. "Is… this…" I started, my voice quavering.

She nodded, and then looked around. "Well, I have to be going now. And Saeko-chan, listen to me." I looked up into her serious, forlorn eyes. "I hope you get to see your parents again soon. Stay safe, ok?"

I nodded, and then she was gone. Without a moment's hesitation, I tore the dark string away from the scroll, and quickly scanned over its contents.

_Dear Saeko, _

_We heard that you left Sunagakure! If you're reading this, then you already know what's happened in Konoha. And I'm sure you heard about Suna, as well. I don't know who you're traveling with, if you are in fact traveling with anyone, and, in case we're being watched, Ino isn't going to say anything about it. We don't have much time to write at the moment, I'm afraid. But I hope that you're ok. Stay safe._

_Hope to see you soon,_

_Mom_

_PS. Everyone here is fine._

I wiped away the tears that had formed in my eyes, and sank against the wall of the nearest building. I didn't know what I was feeling. Of course, I was relieved that they were ok, but I wasn't too happy to hear that they were messing with the Akatsuki. A few months had taught me that the Akatsuki weren't to be taken lightly.

"Saeko-chan?" Grace was standing beside me, a faraway, serene look upon her face. Shoving the scroll into my backpack, I pushed away from the wall.

"We need to move on," I said. "We're going to help them out. We're going to stop the Akatsuki."

**A/N: I finally thought of something to say! Actually, I'm declaring a competition. (Le Gasp)! Ok, well, the contest is, for the most part, simple. Throughout this entire story, I have used **_**two **_**of the Principles of Shinobi Conduct. (And yes, I made them both up). The competition is to recite the codes of conduct, and state which number I explained them as. I'm not sure about prizes yet, but whoever gets it right first might have a chapter dedicated to them. (Actually, it won't be that hard, because one is in this chapter. X.X)**

**  
**


	15. Family

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Authoress' Notes: Alright guys, now I'm desperate. Please, please, please review! I'm seriously, like, begging you!**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"_Saeko-chan?" Grace was standing beside me, a faraway, serene look upon her face. Shoving the scroll into my backpack, I pushed away from the wall._

"_We need to move on," I said. "We're going to help them out. We're going to stop the Akatsuki."_

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The next few days consisted of traveling, camping in tunnels and beneath trees, eating raw fish, and more traveling. We didn't know where we were going, and it was too soon to stop in at any village yet. We needed, like Ino said, to lie low for a while.

Seeing as we didn't stop in any villages, we had no way of hearing about what all was going on. Every day, I woke up, hoping to hear some kind of news, and every night, I went to sleep with a feeling of hopelessness in the pit of my stomach. The days were an ongoing current of suspense and doubts.

Almost two and a half weeks later, I awoke in the middle of the night. Sitting up, I looked around. Once again, we were in the middle of a vast forest. To my right, Grace was sleeping peacefully. A little ways off, barely visible behind the trees, was Kiyoshi, who was quickly living up to his name, 'The Quiet One'. Or rather, the quiet one who preferred absolute solitude.

Once again, I scanned the environment around me. What had woken me up? I know that I heard something. The only problem was that I was too groggy to remember what it was.

Maybe I was just hearing things? No, I wasn't the kind to wake up in the middle of the night, even when having nightmares. Once again, I heard the noise, and realized that it was a soft, almost inaudible (at least, to the untrained ears), footfall. And then, from somewhere to the left, a figure appeared. It was the Kazekage.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Whether or not she had been awake before, Grace jumped up as soon as her husband appeared. She shot up so suddenly I drew backwards, hitting my head on the trunk of the tree I was lying beneath.

Kiyoshi sat up, grumbling to himself about 'early awakenings'. He looked at me, but it was through bleary eyes, and he was clearly seeing right through me. I looked away, and felt him turn to look at his aunt an uncle, who were set in a tight embrace, their lips locked.

I let out a gagging noise and looked away, and Kiyoshi rubbed his eyes, finding any reason not to look at them. Grace must have heard me, because she turned around. "What?" she demanded. "I'm sure you two-" She gestured towards me and then Kiyoshi. "Do the same thing all the time."

Had she said this almost a month ago, when we were back in Sunagakure, I could imagine myself turning red and stuttering uncontrollably. But this time, it wasn't necessary. Kiyoshi and I had barely _talked _during the last month, so it was easy to say that there was nothing like… _that, _going on between us. The only thing between us now seemed to be an impenetrable wall.

I cast him a sideways glance, and wasn't surprised to find that he was staring blankly at the ground, lost in thought.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Within a few hours, everyone was gathered around a campfire. I was a few feet away from the rest of them, listening sadly as they talked about the Kazekage leaving Kankuro in charge. They talked about the twins, too, but the topic was avoided whenever possible. And they talked about the last few months. The Kazekage asked where all we had gone, and Grace told him about our trip to Konoha.

As Gaara began going over everything that had occurred since our trip to Konoha, I realized that I really didn't want to hear about any more casualties or kidnappings at the moment. I cast them a wary glance, and seeing as they were wrapped up in the conversation, I stood and slipped away, seemingly unnoticed.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

I was sitting on the edge of a cliff, overlooking a lower section of the forest. A mile or so away, I could hear water churning; a waterfall. I didn't ponder on where the water was coming from. In fact, I was trying not to think of anything. But there was one thought that was bothering me.

Closing my eyes, I thought back to the three of them, huddled around the campfire, conversing in a way only a family could. Family… where was my family at this moment? Were they still ok? I hadn't heard anything from anyone since Konoha. Once again, I opened my eyes, staring out over the cliff blankly, trying to imagine me and my parents talking, sitting around a campfire… I couldn't do it.

There was a cool breeze blowing. It felt good after a long day of walking in the heat. I bowed my head, staring at my fiddling hands absently, and in a blanket of silence, until…

"Daijoubu ka?"

I let out a small shriek, turning around so fast I felt myself losing balance. After wobbling on the very edge of the cliff for a few seconds, I fell back to the ground, wincing. "Ow…. Uh… Kiyoshi…"

This was the first time he had privately approached me in as long as I could remember. And, it was also the first time he had looked upon me with even the slightest amount of concern evident in his eyes.

Silently, I nodded, and went back to staring out over the cliff. For a few minutes, no one spoke. Finally, though, he came up and sat down a few feet away from me, his eyes following mine over the forest. "Listen," he said. "About the last few weeks… I know I haven't said much to you, and I'm-"

I shook my head fervently, cutting him off. "Don't be. It's not your fault. It's mine…" he opened his mouth to say something, But I quickly continued. "If I hadn't left your village, they would've taken me, not your cousins."

"You think so?" he asked, a grave expression upon his face.

I shrugged, frowning. "Maybe…"

"Well, I don't. I think they would have kidnapped everyone, anyway. I think… they're using you as bait."

I gasped. "Bait? What do you mean? For what?"

He sighed, hesitating for a moment before answering. "Well, you know, of course, about the Uchiha massacre?"

I nodded.

"I think your uncle-"

"He's no uncle of mine," I said blatantly. He nodded in understanding, and continued speaking.

"Is trying to finish what he started."

It wasn't like I hadn't thought of this already. It was only one of the thousands of possibilities, though. But, if what Kiyoshi said was true, then my parents were in trouble as well.

As if he had read my mind, Kiyoshi spoke again. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll find them. _All _of them."

"Yeah," I said, forcing a smile. And then I added to myself. _I sure hope so. _

**A/N: Ok guys, now's the part where I need help. I need a reason for Kiyoshi and Saeko to get into an argument. Please, someone, help!**


	16. The Note

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_As if he had read my mind, Kiyoshi spoke again. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll find them. All of them."_

"_Yeah," I said, forcing a smile. And then I added to myself, _I sure hope so

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

During the next few days, Kiyoshi and I made up for the long silence between us. At night, we'd take to staying up fairly late, sitting side by side, talking about how things used to be, before... Before the Akatsuki returned. We'd stare up at the sky through a ceiling of branches, or lean against each other, our backs pressed together, trying not to fall asleep.

And then one morning, almost a week after the Kazekage's appearance, he was waking me up, helping me to my feet, and handing me my backpack. I rubbed my eyes groggily, finding Kiyoshi, Grace, and the Kazekage waiting.

_So early… _Yawning loudly, I threw the bag over my shoulders, kicking away the leaves I had slept on, erasing any evidence that anyone had slept there the previous night.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The sky was darkening, though it could only be around noon. Dark, ominous clouds blotted out the sun, and I looked up, expecting rain at any moment. Grace and Gaara were a few yards away, and Kiyoshi was walking silently beside me. No one had said anything since we left.

Slowing my pace, I addressed Kiyoshi. "Hey, any idea where we're going?"

He looked over at me, blinking, as if hours of silence had made him forget that any of us knew how to talk. Finally, he sighed. "Yeah. The hidden Sound village. I heard them talking about it this morning. Apparently, that was the closest village, so that's where we're going."

"But wait! Isn't that village abandoned?" I asked, suddenly remembering. He nodded, and I added, "So, uh, why are we _going _there?"

He had nothing to say to this. Instead of answering, he just shrugged, and we continued walking in silence, though it was a considerably comfortable silence, compared to previous weeks.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The village could easily live up to the word 'abandoned'. It looked as cold and uninviting as Konoha had, so many weeks ago. The only difference was that the houses, unlike the ones in Konoha, were more like warehouses, all built partially underground. The layout reminded me of the village Kiyoshi and I had visited the night we were attacked by the Akatsuki member, which reminded me of Suzume, who reminded me so much of Satoru.

Suddenly, despite the fact that we were supposedly here to find information on the Akatsuki, I wanted to be _anywhere _else. Especially back in Konoha, in my own warm bed. Or even in Suna. Anywhere but here.

We were walking through the streets now, the four of us looking around as we walked deeper and deeper, towards the heart of the city. The heart of the city, which turned out to be a square, so much like the one of that village… This one had a statue in the center, too, though, instead of having four people in it, it had only one. For some reason, I began walking towards the statue, as if I was being pulled in by some mysterious force…

I looked up into a man's snake-like face, and could tell, despite the fact that it was a stone statue, that this person had been pale. He had narrow, dark pupils. A gaunt face. I knew who it was. Of course I did.

Orochimaru, the 'Legendary' Sannin. Orochimaru, the traitor to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Orochimaru, the former leader of the abandoned Sound Village.

Why had I felt so inclined to walk over to the statue, though? But even as I asked it, I realized what it was. I felt a familiar, almost comforting feeling, and my eyes fell upon Orochimaru's stone hand. Yes, there was a note, pale in comparison to the weathered stone. Cautiously, I walked closer, and extended a shaking hand. My fingers clenched around the piece of paper, I drew back, and sank down to the ground as I unfolded it.

_Saeko-_

_If you're reading this, then we have already left the Sound Village. As Ino has already told you, we are all meeting every few weeks, and trying to gather any possible information on the whereabouts, and intentions, of the Akatsuki. Also, if you are reading this, then you've managed to take care of yourself thus far. I'd like to say that we miss you all _very _much, and we hope to see you soon. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and don't let them find you. _

_Mom_

_PS. As far as we've heard, there have been no further kidnappings, or ambushes, though the most recent (which happened almost a week ago, shortly after you met with Ino), they have already described who they're looking for. However, our source of information would only say that it was a young girl, who was more than likely traveling with a boy around her age and an older woman. Stay hidden!  
_

I scanned over the note's contents once more, slightly disappointed. I wished that I knew where they were. If only they had given me the slightest… _That's it! _I told myself, rereading the note yet again.

I couldn't find anything. No secret messages, no codes…

No, surely there was _something. _They just couldn't make it obvious, in case the note fell into the wrong hands! But, looking over the words again, I felt my heart sink in my chest. There were no hidden letters, no backwards words, and no acronyms. Everyone was standing around me now, looking down at me, but I couldn't bring myself to meet any of them in the eyes.

I was sitting there, hopelessly reading the note over and over, until I had the words completely memorized.

And then, another thought came to my mind. They had been here! Maybe only hours ago! Maybe a few days ago. But one thing was for sure. They had definitely been here! And I held the proof in my hands.

"Saeko-chan?" Grace asked, kneeling down beside me. I jumped up, shoving the note in my backpack, at the bottom of it, next to the scroll, and shuffled feet.

"Now where to?" I asked, a fire burning inside the pit of my stomach. We were getting close. We had to be, and I was anxious to find them. It couldn't have been too long since my parents left this note, so all we had to do was… Well, pick a direction and run. But, looking around, picking just _any _direction wasn't going to be that easy. They could have come from –or gone- in any direction. I looked around, desperately searching for a sign that would point us in the right direction. But there were none. Everything had a long-since-untouched air to it.

But no matter what, we would find them. We _had _to.

**A/N: Ok, special thanks to those of you who offered suggestions! They should have their little feud in the next chapter, though I can't promise anything to anyone. Who knows, I might even combine some of the ideas! Anyway, please review!**


	17. Stress

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"_Now where to?" I asked, a fire burning inside the pit of my stomach. We were getting close. We had to be, and I was anxious to find them. It couldn't have been too long since my parents left this note, so all we had to do was… Well, pick a direction and run. But, looking around, picking just any direction wasn't going to be that easy. They could have come from –or gone- in any direction. I looked around, desperately searching for a sign that would point us in the right direction. But there were none. Everything had a long-since-untouched air to it._

_But no matter what, we would find them. We had to._

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Night was falling quickly around us, a velvet, ethereal blanket, embroidered with stars that shone like diamonds high above us. We were walking through a field, all of us slightly tense, not liking being out in the open. But it was a price we would have to pay; a chance we would have to take.

I thought back to the note, mentally re-reading its contents. Though I had drawn out the note (it now lay in my backpack again), about twenty times since we left the Sound Village, I had yet to find any sort of clue; any hint as to where I might find them.

Naturally, I was in a bit of a rush to find them, and we had been traveling non-stop since we left the village. Everyone was tired, I could tell, but I couldn't bring myself to say 'let's stop'. Every second seemed to slip away faster than usual, and we were left chasing after a rope that was growing shorter and shorter…

"Sae."

I blinked, noticing that Kiyoshi had almost stopped me. The Kazekage and Grace were a few meters away, discussing some matter or another. "Uh, yeah?" I asked.

He sighed. "Maybe we should take a break."

I looked away. "Why?" I asked, "it's still early."

"_This_ doesn't really seem like early, when you wake up before dawn. I know you're upset, but what good is it gonna do if we run into… _someone _while we're barely conscious?"

With an indignant huff, I folded my arms across my chest. _No, you don't get it. _"I really want to find them," I said.

"And I understand that!" he started, but I cut him off.

"You don't."

He blinked, trying to figure out what I had said. To make it easier for him, I repeated it. "You don't understand. To me, finding them is everything. No, _listen!" _I said, as he opened his mouth to protest. "I never should have left in the first place, and now I have to find them, because if I don't… I… I…"

Whatever I had been about to say, I couldn't find the words. They had come and gone, without leaving behind a trace of their existence. Tears were stinging at the back of my eyes, warm and wet. Frustrated, I reached up and brushed them away.

When I looked back at him, I didn't find him with a look of shock upon his face, for my sudden outburst. Instead, there was a grave expression that I couldn't understand until he spoke. "I don't get it, huh? So you're saying that this journey isn't important to me?"

He wouldn't look at me as he spoke. He stared down at the ground, his voice low and dangerous.

"It's different," I said to him, unable to stop myself. When I said this, he looked up at me, and his eyes met mine in a cold stare.

"Oh really?" he asked. "So tell me how."

"In the year that they've been alive, how much time have you _actually _spent with them?" I asked, immediately regretting the words.

He stared at me, wide-eyed, finally shocked, before glaring. "How can you even _say _something like that? At least I've known them the whole _time _they've been alive. Until almost two years ago, you didn't even know who your dad _was!" _

The comment stung. I gulped, suddenly feeling very small. "But I saw him every day after he came back. You only saw your cousins _once _in the first eight months that they were alive. And then, you only saw them so soon because we were forced to evacuate!"

Everyone was staring now; I hated talking to Kiyoshi like this in front of his aunt and uncle, especially about his cousins, who might not even be alive anymore.

"So what?" he snapped. "Is that supposed to be your way of implying that I don't _care? _Because if it is, you're wrong."

_No! _This shouldn't be happening. We shouldn't be arguing like this! All of a sudden, all of the memories between the two of us; the laughs, the smiles, the ice cream… it all seemed so far away. But the comebacks kept popping up in my mind and spilling from my mouth.

"I never said that-" I started.

"If anyone here doesn't care, it's _you!" _

I blinked. "Nani? Weren't you just complaining about being tired? Saying that we should stop, when all I wanted for us to do was keep walking? You obviously don't care too much, if you're so eager to stop!"

"No," he said. "I want to find my cousins as soon as possible, too. We all want to find them." He nodded towards his aunt and uncle. "But, I don't think it would be a good idea if we found them, and we could barely keep our eyes open. And honestly, I don't think you _do _care. How many times have you called him 'dad' out loud? Can you tell me that?"

I opened my mouth, and then closed it again, unable to think of anything to say. Finally, I scoffed, turned on my heels, and started away through the forest we were in. I didn't have to look back, or listen closely. None of them would follow me. After the things that I had just said, I wouldn't be surprised if they all hated me.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

I was sitting on a high tree branch, staring up at the half-moon that hovered above me. I kept hoping –trying to convince myself- that this was all a dream. But every time I rubbed my eyes and opened them again, I still found myself staring at the same moon, sitting in the same tree branch, living in the same mess.

Yes, I had snapped at him. There was no changing that. The words had left my mouth, and there would never be a way for me to take them back.

But why had I spoken to him like that? The more I thought about it, the farther away I seemed to be getting from any possible answers. I hadn't meant what I said. Or had I? No, I was just stressed. And he was stressed too. That was the only way to explain it.

He was Kiyoshi Inuzuka, and I was Saeko Uchiha, and we were supposed to _always _get along. Surely there was no other reason for us to argue. And surely we would make up first thing in the morning. And surely we would both laugh at ourselves for being so stupid. We'd laugh so hard we'd think we were going to die.

But even as I tried to tell myself that, I knew that it wasn't so. Had the matter we had argued over been even the _slightest _bit less important, then we might have a chance of making up and putting it all behind us. But this argument had been over something horrible. Thoughts that never should have been into words were spoken, and now drifted through the night air; a thick blanket of mist that would stand between us, not fading away until we finally regretted what we said. Tears that needn't be shed were rolling down my cheeks. Doubts that shouldn't exist were racing through my mind, uncontrollable.

Whether or not it had affected _him, _the argument had definitely put me in a very negative mood. All of a sudden, all my concerns and worries were closing in on me, and everything seemed hopeless.

There was no way we were going to catch up to my parents. There was no way that we'd be able to save Satoru, Ayami, Kane, Takeshi, the twins… The chance that the Kazekage and his wife (and Kiyoshi) would still be there when I decided to rejoin them, was slim to none. The idea that we would actually _live _through this whole thing seemed like utter nonsense. No, we didn't stand a chance.

Kiyoshi's last comment played through my mind again.

_How many times have you called him 'dad' out loud?_

I hugged my legs tightly, forehead pressed against my kneecaps. As much as I hated to admit it, Kiyoshi was right. Though I could call him 'father' in my mind, I had never called Sasuke Uchiha my dad. Not when I was talking to him, and not when I was talking _about _him. But why? Try as I might, I couldn't think of an answer to that one.

And then I felt a pang of guilt shoot through my body. The regret was stronger now, threatening what was left of my sanity. I needed to tell him that I was wrong; to apologize, and hope that he would forgive me.

Apologize. Normally, that wasn't something I would do. Especially when I _knew _that I was wrong. Usually, I would just ignore the matter until it went away.

I had never approached Ayami, to ask her if I had done something wrong… Why not, though? Hadn't I tried to remember anything I had said to offend her dozens of times? Why could I not ask her the questions that had almost driven straight through my skull.

Pride. _That _was what it was. Stupid pride.

With a sigh, I hopped down from the tree branch, falling through the air, my loose shirt billowing around me as I descended. And then my feet hit the ground, and I was looking around, searching for any sign of them. _Please don't let them be gone. _They had become a second family to me, I realized. And losing them would be like losing my mother and father all over again. If I had to, I would suck up all of my foolish pride and chase them down. I couldn't lose them.

But even as I started running, I realized that it wasn't going to happen. I heard a footstep, and my scream was cut off by a hand covering my mouth.

**A/N: Cliffy-ness. Hehe. I'm so evil. Anyway, the next chapter will more than likely be Kiyoshi-centric. After that, I might do a prisoner-centric one, or a Sasuke/Sakura-centric one. It depends on how they go along with my plot. Anyway, please review. **


	18. Nightmare

**Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own Naruto. I do, however, own all of my OCs. **

**Authoress' Notes: And at long last, here it is. The prolonged Chapter 17. If you want a reason for the put-off, blame GaaraCutie, because she wasn't helping with ideas. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_With a sigh, I hopped down from the tree branch, falling through the air, my loose shirt billowing around me as I descended. And then my feet hit the ground, and I was looking around, searching for any sign of them. _Please don't let them be gone. _They had become a second family to me, I realized. And losing them would be like losing my mother and father all over again. If I had to, I would suck up all of my foolish pride and chase them down. I couldn't lose them._

_But even as I started running, I realized that it wasn't going to happen. I heard a footstep, and my scream was cut off by a hand covering my mouth._

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Shaking slightly, I turned my head as far as I could to see who was standing behind me, and, despite the dark of the forest, my eyes went wide as I found myself staring into an all-too familiar face. I blinked, making sure that I wasn't seeing things. I wasn't.

"Narut- Hokage-sama!" I said in disbelief, as his hand slid from my mouth. When he nodded, I let out a sigh of relief, and then turned around to face him.

"You know, you don't have to be so formal," he said. "Anyway, I'm glad I found you- a few steps further and you would have been seen by-"

He continued talking, but I was no longer listening. I was busy looking around, behind every tree, my feet rooted to the spot… They weren't there. Of course they weren't- I knew that when I first saw Naruto, but still… I had to look.

"Anyway, let's go," he said, and I turned to look at him quizzically.

"Go?" I asked.

He nodded. "We have to go meet with the others. You'd like to see them again, am I right?"

I didn't have to reply. Five months, and I would finally be able to see them again. I nodded, but then something else came to my mind. "But, Naruto-san, what about…?" But he held up a hand, an answered my unfinished question.

"His mother is taking him. And as for Gaara and Grace, they're going back to Suna to check on things. They knew," he added, when I tilted my head curiously.

"Oh," I said, and then adjusted my backpack on my shoulders.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"We won't see them all tonight," Naruto said, much to my displeasure. We were walking along through a dirt path in the middle of the forest, treading lightly, trying our hardest not to leave footprints in the dirt. "They've split up into two groups. Unfortunately, your parents are in the group that Temari is taking Kiyoshi to. But-" he added, when my shoulders drooped. "We're supposed to be meeting with them in a day or two."

I nodded, following along beside him, still unsure of where we were going. Silently, I wondered who all would be in the group we were going to. Hinata, no doubt, and of course Kohana and Atsuhiro. But who else?

Ino, Shikamaru, Mom, Dad, Kiba, Temari, Hinata, Naruto, Kiyoshi, Toshi, Grace and Gaara (or were they apart of the groups?) Tenten, Neji, Hiroshi, Kakashi, Kurenai, Kohana, Atsuhiro… And me.

Not counting , Grace or Gaara, that made eighteen of us. If they divided all of us into even groups, that made eight per group. So, team A, and Team B. I decided to make the team I was on Team A. _OK, so that means… _Naruto, me, Hinata, Atsuhiro, Kohana…. That was already five. And the other three?

Team B, as I already knew, consisted of Mom and Dad, Temari, which meant more than likely Kiba as well. Just as I began trying to mentally sort the others into their groups, Naruto spoke again.

"We're almost there now," he said.

I nodded again, and asked, "Umm, where _exactly _is 'there'?"

He made a short, weary huffing noise, waiting a moment before answering. "We're staying in a village up ahead. You should be able to see it in a few minutes."

_Staying in a village? _The thought made me shiver: every time we had stayed in a village for almost _half _a _year _now, something bad had happened. Or we'd received some sort of horrible report, or… I looked up towards the sky, noticing even through the canopy of branches that there wasn't a cloud in the sky. A cloudy sky… never a good omen. _No, I'm just being superstitious, that's all._

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Unlike the Village Hidden in the Sound, the village we came to was small, and had an almost-unfamiliar air of comfort; a welcoming touch. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, and I realized how could it had gotten. I rubbed the gooseflesh on my arms, following Naruto down a grassy slope.

The houses were all two-storied, huddled together as if to protect one another from the cold night air. Our footsteps echoed through the silent air, reverberating off of the walls. I looked around with every step we took, making sure that no one was following us. No, everything was fine. There was on one there, and no one would come. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

Finally, he stopped in front of one of the houses, and softly knocked on the door in a short rhythm. Three knocks, three seconds of silence, four knocks, two seconds of silence, six knocks, three seconds… Before the fourth second even began, the door flung open, and I squinted my eyes at the sudden light.

"You're back!" No doubt, it was Hinata's voice. She stood aside, allowing the two of us to enter. I looked around, not surprised to see just an ordinary house. The three of us made our down an immediate hallway, emerging into a dimly lit kitchen. In the middle of the room, there was a table, around which sat Ino, Toshi, Tenten, and Kurenai. Silently, I counted. Hinata, Naruto, me, Toshi, Tenten, Kurenai… That made six of us. _But shouldn't there be two more?_

But before I could give this subject much thought, we joined the others at the table. I sat down beside Ino, across from Tenten, who was barely recognizable with her hair down (it flowed in waves that curled around her shoulders). Across from Ino, Toshi sat, not saying a word, staring down at the table, and Kurenai was sitting farther down, next to Hinata and across from Naruto. I noticed that there were two empty seats.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"So," I asked, trying not to meet anyone's eyes. "Have you… have you found anything yet? About…" –I started to say the kids, but caught myself- "the Akatsuki?" Even as I asked it, I prepared myself for the negative answer.

That might have been the reason why I was so surprised when Ino nodded. I looked over at her, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

"Yes," she said. "Well, maybe. Shikamaru and Kiba are out right now, investigating an area where we think the Akatsuki hideout might be. Your father and Kakashi are with them. Actually, they should be home soon," she looked over to the window, sighing as she realized (or remembered) that it was curtained. Surely, though, it had to be at least a little past midnight now. Toshi looked up for a brief moment, and I fought back a gasp as I saw the bags beneath his eyes; from the looks of it, he hadn't slept in _ages. _

And then he looked away again, and I yawned.

"Are you tired?" Hinata asked, peering at me from the other end of the table. Slightly embarrassed (though no one was actually looking at me), I nodded. She pushed her chair away from the table and stood up, gesturing for me to follow after her. Everyone (Except Kiyoshi) muttered 'good-night's, and then Hinata was leading me through another short hallway that branched off of the main one. "Hinata-san," I asked. "Where are Atsuhiro and Kohana? And Hiroshi?" I hadn't seen any of them, now that I thought about it.

She stopped in front of a doorway, and then turned around to smile at me reassuringly. "Well, they're all with my father in the Village Hidden in the Rain. Though I have no idea why my father picked that village of all places. Kohana was really sad when we took here thre a few weeks ago; she really wanted to see you."

"Oh…" I said, bowing my head slightly. She laughed softly, comfortingly, and then opened the door. I stepped inside, stifling another yawn.

"Hopefully we'll get to see them again soon," she said. "Good night." And then the door closed, and she was gone.

_Yeah… _ I said.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

That night, I didn't sleep at all. Though I tried my hardest not to, I couldn't help but think of Atsuhiro and Hiroshi… And Kohana, who made me think of how horribly I had treated poor Satoru. And Suzume, and mom and dad… And Kiyoshi.

Where was he now? I felt a sharp pang of guilt shoot through me; so strong that I winced and almost cried out loud. I shouldn't have been so moody tonight. That argument _never _should have happened. _But there's no changing that now, _I said to myself; I knew that we had both said too much.

_I wonder if he's still mad. _And that was the last thought I had before drifting into a deep sleep.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"_Saeko-chan!" The scream echoed through the air, and I looked around, finding myself in darkness. Someone was crying. _

"_Where are you?" I called back, desperately. 'What's going on here?'_

_There was a short pause, before the voice rang out again. "Saeko-chan? Is that you?"_

_As I recognized the voice, I let out a strangled gasp. "Satoru?! Satoru, where are you? Answer me Satoru!"_

_She sniffled from somewhere far ahead of me. Hands held out before me, I started through the darkness, occasionally tripping over some unmoving mass on the ground. I thought I felt some kind of liquid beneath my shoes, but I couldn't be sure. The iron-like scent of blood filled the air, but I refused to look down upon those masses that I was tripping over. "Satoru-chan, where are you?"_

"_Help me, Saeko-chan! Hurry!"_

"_OK, just tell me where you are!" Though I was panicking, I did my best to keep my voice calm. I shivered for some unknown reason, continuing through the dark. "Satoru!"_

_There was no reply. The only response I got was my own voice echoing through an otherwise stiff silence. "Satoru, where are you? Satoru?" For a split second, the darkness was illuminated, if only for a few seconds. But it was more than enough to see her standing there, nothing but a dark silhoute. I started running, no longer caring what I tripped over. As I got closer, I held my hand out, only to find that she was no longer there. "Satoru?" I sobbed. "Sattie, answer me!" _

_I gasped as the name left my mouth; that was something I had called her when she was a baby! A sudden image came to my mind; of a sleeping girl, hidden in a sea of pink blankets. I was leaning over her crib, smiling, calling her Sattie. _

"_Satoru, answer me. This isn't funny, ok?"_

_No response. _

"_Satoru!" A short pause, in which I sank to my knees. "SATORUUUU!"_

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"Saeko-chan!"

I sat up, panting for breath. My heart was beating dangerously fast in my ribcage, and my palms were coated in thick layers of sweat. Someone was sitting beside me, their arms on my shoulders, trying to calm me down. I shook my head, gasping for breath, looking around frantically as if I expected her to be standing there.

"Saeko-chan, Daijoubu ka?" Hinata's soft voice broke through my thoughts, and I looked up at her.

Burying my face in my hands, I shook my head; tears were streaming down my face. No, I wasn't ok. Nothing was ok anymore; not even Satoru. _Sattie… _

Removing my hands from my face, I looked around. Kiba, Naruto, Tenten, Kurenai, Hinata, and Shikamaru were all staring down at me in shock, though Shikamaru's eyes were the widest. _I must have been screaming her name, _I thought to myself. _Which is why… _I looked toward the doorway, but Ino and Toshi weren't there.

Once again, I buried my face in my hands.

**A/N: Ok, so… I posted it. :D**


	19. Nostalgia

**Note: Someone pointed this out earlier. I mention Saeko's 'rival' in both Chapter One and Three, but give them different names. But her name is as I said it in Chapter One; ****Suzume Yamaguchi**

**Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own Naruto. I do, however, own all of my OCs. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Ino+ Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13. Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura+ Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half.**

**Kiba+ Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata+ Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten+ Neji: Hikari, 16 and a half. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi+ Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara + Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

_Removing my hands from my face, I looked around. Kiba, Naruto, Tenten, Kurenai, Hinata, and Shikamaru were all staring down at me in shock, though Shikamaru's eyes were the widest. 'I must have been screaming her name', I thought to myself. 'Which is why…' I looked toward the doorway, but Ino and Toshi weren't there. _

_Once again, I buried my face in my hands. _

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

We left the house a few hours after my rude awakening. I noticed as we walked through the village how weary Ino looked. Her hair was held up in a loose ponytail that went down to her lower back; blonde strands straggling everywhere. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face looked slightly swollen; my screaming had reduced her to tears. Toshi and Shikamaru occasionally tried to comfort her, but she obviously didn't want comforting. Every time they tried to cheer her up, she'd either scream at them or burst into tears, and they'd slink away, utterly defeated.

Hinata was as silent as ever, and even Naruto wasn't as chipper as usual. Kurenai walked along beside me, staring blankly ahead. Kiba was walking at the front of our group, looking around, and Tenten was only looking slightly better than the previous evening; her hair was pulled up again, but that seemed to be the only difference.

And I walked along silently, the nightmare haunting me with every step I took. I saw Satoru's face in my mind, and more than once, I thought I could hear her screaming again. On such occasions, I would look around, only to find that she wasn't there.

With a sigh, I glanced towards the sky sadly, instantly loosing myself in thought. It was hard to believe that my parents were somewhere beneath the same sky, walking towards the same destination as us… If Kiba hadn't told me so, then I more than likely wouldn't believe that they were on this same planet. But at the same time, I was anxious and couldn't help but believe that I would see them again. Tonight. After almost _seven _months, I would see them again.

We were walking along a shaded path alongside a rapidly-flowing creek. Toshi trudged a little to our left, along the muddy banks. And to my right, a number of cherry blossom trees were providing us with shade. I watched in silence as a few petals soared through the air, riding on the breath of a cold winter breeze, before landing gently on the creek, bringing forth small ripples…

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The sky was beginning to grow orange with the setting sun. I kept looking around, expecting to find my parents or Kiyoshi (or anyone, for that matter) beyond the trees that surrounded us. Someone behind me yawned, and I, too, felt a yawn come. It had been like this for fifteen minutes now; someone would yawn, triggering a whole chain of yawns and stretches.

"Would you guys-" Kiba yawned. "Cut that out?"

"Can't help it," Naruto muttered, his voice hinting that he was fighting back a yawn himself.

For some reason, I clenched the straps of my backpack tightly as we continued walking. Nobody else said anything; Tenten, who was walking beside me, looked like a zombie. Kurenai looked equally as tired, and Toshi, Ino, and Shikamaru just looked… remote. Naruto didn't seem too bad, and Hinata seemed ok. Kiba was trying to hide the fact that he was sleepy.

I looked up, seeing that the sky was now a silky shade of lavender, mixed with seas of navy blue; an intricate pattern. My pace was beginning to slow, and I longed to sit down and rest. But I continued on, for two simple reasons. The first was that I couldn't wait to see my parents again, and the second was because (after last night's nightmare), I was terrified to sleep. My knuckles were growing numb now; I loosened my grip on the straps of my backpack.

"How much longer?" I asked childishly, despite my efforts not to. For a long moment, it seemed that no one was going to answer. And just as I was about to give up hoping for an answer, Kurenai looked towards the sky.

"Not very long now," she said, almost as if to herself. "Half an hour, at the most."

Nodding, I turned my attention to the ground, walking along as if I had found something interesting on the ground.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**(FlashBack)**

Once, when I was six years old, I ran away from the Ninja Academy at lunch. It had been a horrible week, or at least, horrible in my six year old mind. It had all started when our regular group (Kiyoshi, Takeshi, Toshi, me, and Kane) got into a huge argument. As children do, we fought over something that didn't matter, blowing it out of proportion. After the argument, everyone had taken to solitude, and none of us five exchanged words (or even glances) for a few days. And finally, on the fifth day, when I was growing lonely, angry, and depressed, I chanced a glance at each of the four in turn. Kane spotted me looking at Kiyoshi pleadingly. And even though Kiyoshi sat next to me, and even though I _knew_ he could tell I was looking at him, he didn't turn to look at me. Instead, he lowered his head over his paperwork, and didn't say a word.

During lunch that day, Kane pulled me aside, a glare set upon his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "How long are you guys gonna keep this _up?" _I demanded, my eyes suddenly burning with unshed tear that I had held back all week.

"Don't forget that you're a part of this too!" He snapped. "What does it matter how long we fight for? Having a hard time without your precious friends?" He mocked, and I decided right then and there that he was my least favorite 'friend'.

I looked away.

"In case you haven't heard, Saeko, the life of a ninja –the life _you're _going to live, if you're lucky- is all about arguments and fights, so get used to it. What good is it going to do for you if all you want is for people to make up? Because they don't make up, got that? Sure, our group _might _eventually get over it. But what happens when you make a friend on a mission out of the village, and then one day you have to fight against that friend? Not that I think you'll be a good ninja anyway, but you're definitely not getting anywhere if all you want is peace."

And then he turned and walked away, leaving me leaning against a tree, watching the world around me through tear-filled eyes. No one came after that. Toshi, Kiyoshi, Takeshi… no one came to comfort me. I caught Suzume Yamaguchi smirking at me from across the campus and quickly wiped the tears away from my eyes. Much to my displeasure, I felt even more tears come back. Deciding that I couldn't let Suzume see me like that, I turned and ran.

The house, as I knew it would be, was empty. Darting up the stairs, I ran into my room, tossed my backpack aside, and flopped onto my bed, the tears now freely rolling down my cheeks.

I laid there for what felt like hours, my back turned to the door, staring out through a crack in the dark curtains drawn over my window. Of course, the curtains made the room gloomy, but it also helped to make the thin stretch of light shining in seem brighter.

The clock ticked the seconds away, one after another. My eyes felt puffy and swollen, my face dry and sticky, and my throat on fire. Eventually, I thought I heard the door downstairs open and close a few moments later, but I decided I was only hearing things. Or maybe one of them had come to find me… A few seconds passed, and footsteps were quickly approaching my room. The door creaked open, a few more light footsteps, and then someone sat down on the bed beside me. Sniffling, I closed my eyes, knowing who it was. "You're home early," I said, keeping my voice as calm as I could.

"I heard you ran from school. What's wrong?" my mother asked, and I shook my head. "Come on, whatever it is, you can tell me. Remember, that's what I'm here for."

I hesitated for a moment before saying. "It's nothing special. The guys are all just arguing again, that's all. But it's bad this time; they haven't spoken all week."

"I see… And it's bothering you a lot, right?" I nodded, and then she went on. "Believe me, I know how that feels. What was the argument about?"

"I don't remember," I said honestly.

A short pause, and then: "Were you arguing too?"

I took a second, before nodding. "But I didn't know… I thought it would just blow over in a day or so. It always has. But now… none of them will even look at each other, Mom. It's driving me insane."

She sighed. "Have you tried talking to them yet?" She asked softly.

"No. I don't think it would do any good, even if I begged them to make up."

"Well, I know all of your friends, Sae, and I think that, if you _really _talked to them –and maybe not even all together. You could speak to each of them in turn- things might just work out."

I nodded, though I didn't believe her.

"Hey Mom?" I asked a few minutes later, rolling over to face her. She had been staring at the wall ahead of her, but she quickly looked down at me. "Do you think I'll be a good ninja?"

She blinked, and gave me a look that suggested she thought I was insane. "What are you talking about, honey? Of _course _you'll be a good ninja. Probably the best. What gave you the idea that you wouldn't be?"

"Nothing," I lied, and wiped another round of tears from my eyes. I sat up a little, and she pulled me close to her, hugging me and stroking my hair.

"I know this isn't easy for you," she said, and a few years later, I would understand that she wasn't just talking about the guys' argument; she was talking about being raised by a single mother who was doing her best to support herself and her daughter. But at the time, I believed she was referring to the argument. "And I'll tell you something. Things like this, that seem so horrible… They happen all the time. In your life, you'll be ignored, scoffed at, hurt, rejected… And you might feel like giving up sometimes. I know I did. But, take it from me. Your life is one big path, full of bumps and barricades. Some will seem impossible to cross, and never seem to fade away. But you have to keep going, because sometimes, that's all you can do." And then she hugged me even tighter, and I sobbed into her shoulder for a few minutes before falling asleep.

**End FlashBack**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

'_That's what this is' _I say to myself. _'I'm still on the same road, and this is all just one mountain. But it's like she said; I have to keep going. There really is nothing else to do. I have to climb to the top of the mountain, and get back to the bottom from the other side.' _But the mountain seems to be growing steeper with every step I take, with every breath I breathe… And for every foot taller, I have to take another step. But so what?

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

(Flashback)

I had known it all along. _'Struggles and pain only make us stronger'. _That was the lesson for the day, and the words were written clearly on the board, in our teacher's neat writing. A few months had passed since the big argument, and (although the relationship was still a bit awkward), we had all begun to talk somewhat.

I copied the words into my notebook, and as the bell rang for lunch, I stood and followed the rest of the class through the door. But through the door was as far as I got before I tripped over something and landed face-first on the ground. Blinking, I whirled around to stare up at a smirking Suzume.

"Suzume."

Her smirk grew wider. "I'd say sorry," she said. "But since I'm not, I won't. After all, why should I feel any regret for sending a piece of trash like you to the ground? I'm _just _doing your job for you. Besides, my daddy said-"

This was a cruel joke of hers. 'My Daddy Said' is what I called it, and naturally, she used it to rub in the fact that I had no father (or at least, none that I knew of.) Grinding my teeth, I scrambled to my feet, and clenched my fists as I started closer to her. But before I could do anything, someone behind me cleared their throat (and I couldn't tell who it was, seeing as there was a huge crowd around us now.)

"And you know what _my _daddy said?" a voice asked, and I turned around to face Ayami. "He said that students should listen to their teachers. And I believe that your teacher told you –just today, if I'm not mistaken- that struggles and pain only make a person stronger. And since you've been living such a 'perfect life', and poor Saeko here has been suffering… I think that would probably make her stronger than you'll ever be."

Suzume stared at Ayami, mouth agape, before glaring at me, turning on her heels, and storming away as the crowd around me burst into laughter. I turned to stare at Ayami, who was giggling, her eyes closed, my own emerald orbs filled with admiration. That was the day I had become so fond of Ayami Hatake.

End Flashback

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

Despite the situation we were in, and the fact that Ino was still sad, I laughed to myself as I went over this memory in my mind. The look on Suzume's face had been more than enough to make me feel better, and for the rest of the week, people would break into uncontrollable fits of laughter when Suzume walked by.

Struggles make us stronger… Yes, even though years had passed, the listen still remained true. And personally, I thought I'd gone through quite a few struggles. A lot of people had, I realized. My father, my mother even, and I was sure that Ayami had to have gone through some sort of pain at one point in her life, because even though we hadn't spoken, I still saw her as 'strong.'

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Flashback**

After school that day, I saw Ayami walking in the street, a bag thrown over her shoulders. Later, I would learn that she had been assigned the 'Messenger' mission for the day (1). She stopped and talked to someone, who handed her a small velvety bag, and then she broke off into a run. Still clueless as to what she was doing, I chased after her, pursuing her until she stopped and began knocking on someone's door. I caught up to her just as a woman opened the door.

"Ah, thank you, young lady!" the woman said with a smile, and then her eyes fell on me. "Is this your little sister? She's awfully cute." Though I could hardly picture myself as 'cute' with dirt under my fingernails and my hair straggling all about my face.

"Huh?" Ayami asked, turning to face me. When she saw me looking at her, she smiled and playfully ruffled my hair. "Oh, you could say that, I suppose."

The woman smiled, and much to my surprise handed Ayami a scroll and a folded up bill, which Ayami gratefully put in her ninja tool pouch. "Arigatou, Tokihomi-san!" she said, bowing. And then, as the woman shut the door, Ayami turned back towards the streets. "Want to come?" she asked.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

"What are you doing, Ayami-chan?" I asked as she knocked on yet another door, a handful of scrolls in her arms. I reached up to help her carry some, and she gratefully nodded, handing me two of the scrolls. A man came to the door, grunted, took the scrolls, and then closed the door without a word of thanks.

She growled. "Old man Takahobi. Always the friendly one," she said. "Anyway, to answer your question, I'm on the 'Messenger' mission today."

"Messenger mission?" I asked, and she began to explain what it was as we started running through the streets yet again.

That evening, after she had taken the messenger bag back to her Jonin, Minako Kohi, she walked alongside me to my home. Seeing as her dad and my mom were well acquainted, Ayami easily lead me to my house, and much to my surprise, ruffled my hair again. "Arigatou for your help today, little sister."

If it was at all possible, my eyes grew the size of plums. "N-nani?" I stuttered out. She giggled, ruffled my hair again, and then turned.

"Good night, Sae." And then she left.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**End Flashback**

If ever there had been a heart-breaking, yet at the same time, heart-melting, moment in my life (besides the reunion with my father), then that was it. Every time I went over it in my mind (and that had been quite a few times over the years), I felt differently. When we were still talking, the memory seemed like nothing, almost. But now that we weren't speaking to one another, the memory burned.

Oh, how I wished I could go back, and fix everything that I had ever done wrong.

Often, you'll hear your parents saying 'if I were you' or, 'don't wish your life away' or even 'one day you'll wish you were back in school…'. Naturally, you feel angry for hearing these sort of comments, and you don't expect them from a child.

But I wasn't a child… Despite my age, I considered myself an adult. And not in the way that most children, who spend their days wishing they were older, do. No, I had seen and heard and gone through so much, there was no way I could still be considered a child. A young adult would probably have worked though.

Besides, even my appearance barely hinted that I was a child. Over the years, I had easily grown more womanly. My fingernails no longer had dirt underneath them; my hair shone, and the once-round features of my face had grown much more sophisticated. Even my clothing, tight as it could be in some places, showed… hints that I was no longer a child.

Be that as it may, one would probably think of me as 'too young to want to go back.' But it's not true. Despite what should have been, I was full of regret, and would have given anything to fix the mistakes I had made. But now, it was as my mother said.

We have to keep going on, because sometimes, that's all you can do. I had no more time for nostalgia though, as a blood-curdling scream echoed through the air.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Note: Ok, it's shorter than usual, but it's all I could do. Special thanks to Emi for ideas for this chapter. **

**1: A person is handed a bag full of scrolls, which the messenger takes to designated locations. People who see the Messenger in the street (and people who she delievers things to) give her more items to deliver. Messengers are often given tips for being fast workers. Also, although 'Messenger' is assigned by Jonins, and considered a 'D-ranked Mission', children often see it as a game and a competition. Each Messenger tries to beat the highest record among the previous messengers. To beat the record, a messenger should deliver more items than a previous one in the same amount of time, if not less. Items that may be delivered include scrolls, letters, summons, ninja tools, invitations, etc.**


	20. Chapter 20

Note: Sorry about the wait, people. I moved to a house that didn't have Microsoft Word… But then I got a laptop, so yeah… You'll all get to read the next chapter. Hope you like it.

-Saro

P.S. I came up with a question for myself… Actually, there are a few questions…

Where is Tsunade? Answer: Pretend she and Shizune are with the other group (meaning the group with Sasuke and Sakura). If Naruto is Hokage, shouldn't he still be back in Konoha? Or at least check up on it occasionally? My answer: let's just pretend he left a few months after everyone else.

I also came up with something to add to the story line, but you'll all just have to wait for it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my OCs and the plot.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Ino + Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura + Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba + Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata + Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten + Neji: Hikaru, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi + Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.

I couldn't tell which was louder; almost two dozen feet pounding on the ground or the sound of my own heart beating frantically inside my chest. 'What's happening?' I asked myself as we continued to run. We could all clearly see the red glow illuminating the night far ahead of us. Fire, no doubt. A black cloud of smoke rose up from thee burning city, which we were so close to that we could see the dark shapes amidst the flames; buildings. And even more dark figures were appearing from the flames, collapsing to the ground, coughing violently. People.

In an instant, half of us were on our knees, asking the people what had happened. But they were all choking and wheezing, unable to answer. Feeling someone's eyes upon me, I turned around and looked away from the child I was sitting before, to stare up into Ino's bright blue eyes.

"Your mother has been teaching you healing techniques, hasn't she?"

Hesitantly, I nodded. Of course, she'd been teaching me the basics of medical techniques and medical ninjutsu. I could remove minor poisons from people's bodies, heal deep gashes and simple things like headaches or pains, but I had never tried anything with burns. And looking around, most of these people had been burned.

Though I was nervous, Ino managed to get me to help her begin healing the people. The rest of our group was speaking, and they told us to continue the healing techniques while they went to examine the city. But before they could leave, one elderly man, who we hadn't yet gotten around to healing, stopped them. "D-don't go… in there," he wheezed. "The people… they started the fire…"

"People?" Naruto asked. "What people?"

"Can you describe them?" Shikamaru asked, cutting Naruto off.

The man nodded. "They were w-wearing dark cloaks… with red clouds. There were two of them near my house, I don't know if there were others elsewhere…"

"There was one by our house!" A little girl who I had healed only moments ago said. "And we live on the other side of town."

Kiba nodded and thanked them, and then the group started towards the city in a hurry. Ino stood up and walked over to Toshi and Shikamaru. After a long moment, in which I could only assume she was crying (her back was turned, but Toshi was clearly staring at her worriedly) she whispered, "Be careful," and then they were gone.

Apparently, the fumes in the air had gotten to my head, because I only just realized what the man had said… People… dark cloaks… red clouds… The Akatsuki! I don't know why it came as such a shock; after all, I had expected it all along. But for some reason, as the group disappeared into the flames, I felt my blood run cold. I jumped up, but Ino put her hands on my shoulders, struggling to keep me under control. "But Ino-san, they're there! The Akatsuki!"

"I know, I know. But right now, our main priority is healing the rest of these people."

Running my hands over my face, I nodded. This wasn't how tonight was supposed to happen; I should be that much closer to my parents now, not sitting outside a scorched village healing dozens of innocent people. Biting down on my bottom lip, I sank back to my knees in front of a young, pregnant woman, who was breathing heavily.

"Please," she said. "Don't let my babies die."

The words shocked me. In one split second, I realized how important the job of a medic ninja was. Smiling softly at her, I placed my hand on top of her stomach and closed my eyes, focusing all my charka into the palm of my hand.

She was still breathing heavily, and I told her to take it easy. To keep her comforted, I began to talk to her. "You said 'babies', right?"

"Yeah," she said. "I'm having twins."

I smiled and looked up at her. Her eyes, with the fire reflecting in them, were hard to see clearly, but she had a face in the shape of perfection, and even though she was frowning and her eyes were now closed, I could tell that she was beautiful. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind. "Hey, wait a second… Where's their father?"

When I said this, terror lit up in her wide eyes. "Oh my God…" She started to get up, but I grabbed her upper arm and managed to get her back on the ground. She buried her face in her hands. She looked around frantically. "He's not here," she said. "He's still in the city. They have to help him." She was bawling now, tears poured down her cheeks, and black lines ran down her face. Soot. Now completely done healing her, I reached up and wiped the soot away from her face and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry. They'll find him."

I stood up to go on to the next person, a little boy with blood trickling down the side of his face, but she stopped me. "Those people, in the cloaks… Who are they?"

I didn't want to worry her, but something inside me told me that it was better not to lie. I beckoned the boy over and began to heal him as he sank to his knees. His face was cold beneath my hand; as I wiped away the blood and began to heal a thin wound, I spoke to the woman.

"They call themselves the Akatsuki," I said. "They're cruel people who will do anything and hurt anyone to get what they want." I saw the look of fear on her face and added, "But trust me. The group who went in there would never let anything happen to your husband."

"He's not my husband," she sighed. "Not yet, anyway."

I blinked and, being done with the boy, turned to an elderly woman who had crawled over to me. She wasn't in bad shape, but she had obviously inhaled a lot of smoke. I healed her quickly and stared wide eyed at a baby another woman handed me. The child, wrapped in a blackened blanket was breathing heavily and coughing. Gulping, I placed my hand on the baby's stomach and healed her.

Once again, I began to speak to the pregnant woman. "Not yet?"

She sighed again. "My father has forbidden it. According to my parents, I was engaged to be married when I turned fifteen three years ago, to a man I've never even met." She placed her hand on her rounded stomach and looked up to the smoke-covered sky.

"An arranged marriage… Wow."

She nodded. "I don't want to do that, but if I don't… My father will never forgive me."

"Does he forgive you for being pregnant?"

"I don't know anymore. He was angry at first, but he knows how much I love Suko… I think, more than anything, he'd be ashamed if I didn't marry this other man."

I frowned, and the next man in line, unpleased as he was, held out his arm, revealing a deep gash from his shoulder to his elbow. I glanced at it and quickly began healing it, wiping away a stream of sweat from the side of my face. Healing people required such patience and charka…

"Have you told him how you feel?"

She shook her head. "No. He'd never understand."

"You'll never know unless you try."

"I'm scared."

"We all get scared from time to time."

She bowed her head, and I smiled.

"But I'll you two things… When I was a little girl, my mom told me this one: Life is a road, full of bumps and obstacles. Some of them will seem impossible to get around, but they're not. They might seem big at the moment, but looking back later on, you might just laugh at how small the problem really was. Not that I think this is a small problem or anything. But even when we feel like giving up, we have to keep going. Because sometimes, that's all we can actually do."

Her eyes went wide and I laughed to myself. "And the other… Struggles and pain only make us stronger. It sounds kinda lame, but it's the truest thing in the world. When this all blows over, you'll be so much stronger."

She smiled. "Calling me weak?"

"No," I grinned back. "Not at all." 

I looked around now and found that Ino was standing up, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. Everyone had been healed. My heart thumping steadily in my chest, I rose to my feet. Now I could go into the city. Now we could find this woman's boyfriend. Now…

I glanced at Ino, and she nodded and we started towards the flames. But just as we reached what used to been the entrance gate, we saw a dark figure before us.

My heart stopped in my chest when I saw the black and red cloak. The figure started slowly closer, and I found that it was one of them I hadn't seen yet. But somehow, the face seemed familiar.

Ino was standing next to me, her eyes set upon the Akatsuki member in a mixture of shock and anger. "You again."

The smirk was half-hidden by the man's long blonde hair, which easily covered half of his face. "Well, hello to you, too."

I cast Ino a sideways glance. Obviously, she knew this man. But when had she encountered him before? In the last five months? Or maybe even before then? But I could give this matter no more thought before Ino spoke again. "Where's my daughter? And my husband and my son?"

The smirk grew even wider. "Well, your son and husband are somewhere in there," he nodded over his shoulder towards the city. "But as for your daughter…"

Ino gritted her teeth, and I stood there silently, the world frozen all around me. "Where is she?!"

He shrugged. "You honestly expect me to tell you?"

"You will if you value your life."

Shikamaru was behind the man in an instant, and Ino stared wide-eyed at him. "Shikamaru! Where's Toshi?"

"He's still inside. You two go on ahead, I'll handle this one."

I nodded and broke off into a run, but even as I tried to side-step him, the Akatsuki member managed to grab me by the arm, and I felt the cold metal of a blade against my throat. Holding my breath, I stared ahead of me; not willing to let him see how panicked I was inside.

"Let her go," they both said at the same time, and the man chuckled.

"Now why would I do that?"

I don't know what happened next, but whatever it was, it was over in an instant. I thought I heard Ino shriek, and then I was hitting the ground on my hands and knees, inhaling one deep breath of smoke, coughing.

"Get out of here!" Ino yelled at me, but as for where Shikamaru and the man's location, I had no idea. I scrambled to my feet and in another instant I was inside of the burning city. People were still scurrying to get away all around me, hands over their mouths and eyes, everyone screaming. I could hear clashes of metal all around me and the dirt was tinted red with blood.

I continued to run and the world passed by around me. Where I was going, I had no idea, but something made me continue running, even as I passed Kiba and Kakashi, both of whom were facing off against an Akatsuki member with a Venus Flytrap shooting out of its collar.

And then someone –or rather, someone- caught my eye and made me stop dead in my tracks.

Kiyoshi.

He, Toshi, and Temari were all facing off against yet another Akatsuki member with a crazy mask; a swirled pattern of yellow and black. Kiyoshi had apparently caught sight of me, in a second he was standing before me, and I was staring at him wide-eyed, unsure of what to say. He looked over his shoulder towards the battle before turning back to me and saying, "Sae, listen. Your parents are here now."

Why hadn't I realized that my parents were here when I saw Temari and Kiyoshi? "What? Where?"

He pointed somewhere to my right and I nodded and started to run. But a few steps later, I stopped and looked over my shoulder. He was still standing there. He seemed confused when I stopped, so I smiled half-heartedly before running again.

Flames, smoke, blood, more flames and smoke, collapsing buildings… No parents, no sounds. Everything was going in slow motion, the world seemingly frozen all around me. And then they were there, the two of them, and across from them was Itachi. I froze dead in my tracks, my eyes almost popping out of their sockets and my heart frozen somewhere in my stomach. My mom seemed to be almost on the sidelines, though her fists were clenched and there was soot and scratches all up and down her arms and legs. Itachi was standing atop a burning building and my dad was standing on the ground, glaring up at Itachi and panting for breath.

I don't know which of the three noticed me first, but within seconds my mom was pulling me out of the way of a stream of thrown weapons, and my father was running at Itachi. Mom pulled me close to her and out of the way as dad performed the Phoenix Flower Jutsu (dunno if that's right…). Both of them -dad and Itachi- had their sharingans activated; I took a second to activate my own.

Battle sounds seemed to be coming from everywhere now; explosions, screams, taunts… With the sharingan activated, I could better keep up with my father and Itachi's battle.

My dad was obviously angry at Itachi for attacking me, because he said something about it, and I thought I heard Itachi say something that sounded like this. "You weren't able to protect her the first time, and you got lucky last time. What makes you think you'll do any better now?"

I blinked. First time? But… counting tonight, I had only had two encounters with Itachi. Utterly confused, I turned to my mom, who was staring wide-eyed in shock and –though I didn't believe it at first- fear.

"Mom? What's he talking about?"

She didn't say anything; she only continued to stare at Itachi, furious and afraid.

"MOM! Answer me!"

Once again, she didn't say anything. Realizing that I wasn't about to get an answer, I turned back to the fight. Though I was standing before the battlefield, my mind was far away. A third encounter? But when? Surely I would remember something like that.

Even with the sharingan activated, I found that I was having a hard time keeping up with the battle. Itachi was barely moving, despite my father's multiple attacks towards him. Both of them were using fire-style jutsu left and right, and more than often there would be shurikens hidden inside the fireballs.

Judging by her tight grip on my shoulders, mom was either worried, scared, or doing all she could not to attack. Her fingernails were digging deeper and deeper into my skin until, just as I was about to cry out, the tension escaped from her hands. "Get out of here," she said, staring at dad.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yes. Get out of here, now."

"Why? What's happening? Mom, what's going on?"

A different light shone in her eyes now. It was as if she could see that something bad was about to happen. This thought, while terrifying me, made me shake my head. "No. I'm not going!"

"Saeko, get out of here!"

My dad's voice startled me. I turned wide-eyed to him, and he was looking back at me, the seriousness that I had heard in his voice reflected on his face. I noticed in a split second how out of breath and beaten up he was.

"But-"

"NOW!"

"Too late."

All of a sudden the world began to spin before my eyes. I saw my mom's worried face, the shock and anger on my dad's face, and I felt a kunai against my throat once again, but that was all I could take in before everything faded into black.

Well, well… All I can say is that I absolutely suck at battle scenes. I haven't really seen the Akatsuki battle very much, so now I'm turning to my readers for help. Do you know any jutsu that I should have any of the characters perform? What are the Akatsuki members' fighting styles (do they use weapons, physical attacks, do they hit?) Other than Sasori and Deidara, I know nothing about the Akatsuki.

Like, if you're feeling helpful you can just do something like this…

Sasori: A puppet master. Most of his puppets are drenched in poison… blah, blah, blah… Any info you have on any members will be greatly appreciated. The more characters you describe the better…

The most helpful one will have their choice of spoilers for the rest of the book or a chapter dedicated to you, a recommendation, or IF YOU'RE EXTREMELY LUCKY, a songfic you can request.

**Please help. **

**Note: Next chapter will more than likely be in Sakura's POV. Just to let you know.**


	21. Chapter 21

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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.

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X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 20

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Ino + Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura + Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba + Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata + Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten + Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi + Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

"_Saeko, get out of here!"_

_My dad's voice startled me. I turned wide-eyed to him, and he was looking back at me, the seriousness that I had heard in his voice reflected on his face. I noticed in a split second how out of breath and beaten up he was._

"_But-"_

"_NOW!"_

"_Too late."_

_All of a sudden the world began to spin before my eyes. I saw my mom's worried face, the shock and anger on my dad's face, and I felt a kunai against my throat once again, but that was all I could take in before everything faded into black._

X-X-X-X-X-X-X 

POV: Sakura

It happened exactly the way it had the first time; Itachi appeared behind Saeko and held a kunai against her throat, and then she was unconscious. Sasuke and I were glaring at him in shock and anger, and I could feel the hatred flowing throughout Sasuke.

Our logical guess for Itachi attacking Saeko was that he knew neither of us would attack him if he was holding Saeko hostage. Both this time and the previous time he had done this, he had obviously wanted us to leave him and the rest of the Akatsuki alone. And the only way we would be willing to do that would be if he had Saeko.

Though I tried hard not to, I couldn't help but think back to the first time the three of us had encountered Itachi as a group. That time, Itachi had taken Sae and ran, and Sasuke, being Sasuke, chased after him. Ino and Shikamaru had done everything they could just to keep me from going after them. Sasuke had left at around midnight, but it wasn't until hours later, when the sun was beginning to rise over the village, that he appeared, an unconscious Saeko in his arms. He had barely laid her down on the couch in our living room before collapsing.

But this time… would we be able to get her back? No. Not getting her back wasn't an option. Besides, Sasuke, being Sasuke, would never let anything happen to her.

So why are these tears rolling down my cheeks? Why am I suddenly standing next to Sasuke and staring at Itachi pleadingly? Why does the world seem to stop all around me?

And why didn't I see the next movement? Why was Itachi suddenly out of sight, and Sasuke chasing after him, looking over his shoulder and telling me to stay where I was. Why, why, why…

And then Naruto and Hinata were there, and my tears blinded me as I collapsed to the ground.

Sasuke's POV 

'Why me?' is what I'm thinking as I jump from rooftop to burning rooftop. Itachi is far ahead of me, Saeko with him, and I'm doing everything in my power to keep on my feet. Why did I have to be the one born with an older, physco-maniac brother who would hurt his own niece without a second thought?

No, scratch that. His own would-be niece.

Someone once asked me 'if you could have one wish come true, what would you wish for?' I had stared at the man in silence for a long time until he finally gave up and walked away. But even after he was gone, I gave the question a lot of thought. One wish. Of course, at that point in time, I didn't believe in wishes coming true. That was before I married Sakura. Before Saeko was born. And at that point in time, my one wish would have had to been 'I wish I was in a position where I could kill him'.

If not for the situation at hand, I would have laughed out loud at my next thought. Almost two decades ago, I was a cold-hearted person who didn't care about anything other than revenge. And now, after all those years have passed, I stand a different person; someone who didn't care about their own needs, but focused completely on his family's safety and needs. If someone asked me the same 'wish' question now, I would say 'I wish that they had nothing to do with Itachi.'

Somehow, we had come to the edge of town. I hoped down over the tall wooden fence surrounding the city. Itachi was far ahead of me, Saeko in his arms and still unconscious. And sure enough, the rest of the Akatsuki were there too.

Ino's POV 

Choji had shown up halfway through the battle, but I had sent him into the city to search for missing citizens when the Akatsuki member we had been fighting ran off.

"Should we go after him?" I asked, looking over at Shikamaru.

He shook his head. "No. We're both nearly out of charka now, neither one of us would stand a chance against him. Now we need to go find the others."

I nodded, knowing he was right. Of course he was right. He always was. I couldn't help but notice the deep wound on his shoulder. Smiling sadly, I walked over and placed my hand on the gash, beginning to heal it. "Where's Toshi?"

He reached up and grabbed my hand, pulling it away from the bleeding wound.

"What are you-"

"Don't waste your chakra," he said, his eyes coming to meet mine. I sighed, and then we began walking towards the city.

The minutes passed. Buildings, buildings, red dirt… Nobody. But finally we came to a group of people, only to find that Toshi wasn't there. Naruto and Hinata were there, though. Naruto was standing a few feet away from Hinata, who was down on her knees. Someone was sobbing and as I got closer, I realized that it was Sakura.

Hinata stood up and I kneeled before my best friend, whose tears continued to fall.

"What's wrong with her?" I heard Shikamaru ask.

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know; we can't get her to say anything."

Hearing this, I placed my hands on Sakura's shoulders, knowing that, if anyone could get something out of her it would be me. "Sakura, what's wrong?"

She said something, but her voice was soft and masked by tears and I couldn't understand her. The way she mumbled made me think back to a day, so many years ago…

"_Who are you?" asked a sobbing pink-headed girl who I had discovered on a cobbled path, crying her eyes out. _

"_Who, me? Oh, that's easy. I'm Ino Yamanaka. What's your name?"_

"_Sa-u-wa."_

"_Hello, I can't hear you!"_

"_My name is Sakura!" she yelled, and I smiled. _

"_That's better."_

"Sakura, I can't hear you."

"Akatsuki… Saeko."

I sighed. "Ok, so, something about the Akatsuki and something about Saeko, right? Speak more clearly."

"They took her, Ino."

"What? Again? Which way did they go?"

She pointed behind me, but before I could say anything, and before Shikamaru could come up with a strategy, Naruto took off running. Letting out a sigh of aggravation, Shikamaru started to chase after him. I hugged Sakura and she cried into my shoulder.

Shikamaru's POV 

Troublesome… Stupid Naruto, always one to rush into the battlefield without first analyzing everything carefully. I yell after him, but he, being Naruto, doesn't listen. He's fuming, and I know that he's not going to stop anytime soon.

So I continue chasing after him, though it's hard to breathe. He has to be in pain, too, but he's not showing it. And neither can I. We keep running and running until finally, we've reached the edge of the town. There's not a trace of Saeko or the Akatsuki, but Sasuke is lying on the ground far below us.

Kiyoshi's POV 

The Akatsuki member that mom, Toshi and I were facing off against ran off, and I was watching as Toshi coughed up a fit of blood. Mom appeared to be fine, and, the deep cut on my right side set aside, I was fine, too.

"You ok?" I asked Toshi, and he nodded. "Okay, so… now what?"

"We have to find the others," mom said, and as I nodded the three of us began walking. We had barely been walking two minutes, though, when we emerged from a narrow alley, that we saw a group of our people. Naruto, Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, and Sakura were there, and I could hear their conversation from where I was standing.

"Sakura, I can't hear you."

"Akatsuki… Saeko."

Ino sighed. "Ok, so, something about the Akatsuki and something about Saeko, right? Speak more clearly."

"They took her, Ino."

And then Naruto had run off, and Shikamaru had chased after him, and I stood there digesting this latest piece of information. The Akatsuki had taken her? Saeko… I started to run after Shikamaru and Naruto, but Toshi and mom held me back. And then, a few minutes later, they appeared again, both of them supporting an unconscious Sasuke. Saeko was nowhere to be seen.

**Note: Ok, well, this one isn't very long, but I've used quite a few POVs. So, yeah…. **


	22. Lost in the Darkness

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.

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NOTE: I'm really bad at measurements, so the Kilometers/Miles thing… probably not so accurate when applied to the amount of time it takes to get to the designated location.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 20

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X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Ino + Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura + Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba + Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata + Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten + Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi + Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X 

"_Ayami?"_

"_Hmmm?"_

_I propped myself up onto my elbows. "Are you ok?"_

"_Yeah, I just thought I heard… never mind."_

"_You sure?"_

_Though I couldn't see her, I could tell that she nodded. With a stretch, I laid down and tried to get some rest. My thoughts kept me awake for a long time. It was so easy to talk to Ayami now, I had told her about everything that had happened since we stopped speaking, including my dad, how I never called him 'dad' out loud, Kiyoshi… And, like always, she had proved to be as helpful as I hoped she would be. She listened while I talked, never interrupting, didn't give advice or criticism where it wasn't needed... It was strange to think how much I'd missed her._

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Temari's POV**

Pakkun had returned early on in the afternoon with a conclusion; a conclusion that everyone had come inside to share with everyone else. Kiba came to me, telling me about the Akatsuki hideout entrance in the underbrush four hundred kilometers away.

I nodded and turned away, heading up the stairs and through the halls, occasionally peering into the bleak rooms. Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto… everyone had healed well. Even Sasuke was awake, I'd heard. On the third floor, I stopped in front of Kiyoshi's door, pausing for a moment to recall the look of shock on his face when he'd heard of Saeko's kidnapping; the urge to go after her had pulsated through his veins. He'd have gone, if we let him.

And now, if I told him… would he try to do something stupid? No, we'd stop him before something like that could happen. Hesitantly, I knocked.

No reply. Nothing. Silence. My heart froze in my chest as I realized what happened. Someone came up behind me and said something, but I didn't reply.

_Please be in there. Just be in there and be asleep. _But even as I made the wish and eased the door open, I knew… Kiyoshi wouldn't be there. Had he overheard Pakkun… he would be after her in a heartbeat.

"He's gone," I said, knowing that it was Kiba standing behind me, shocked. "He's gone, and we have to go after him."

**Kiyoshi's POV**

I had managed to get away from the hospital without a problem. Now the only problem would be finding the Akatsuki base. But, given Pakkun's directions, even _that _should be easy.

Had anyone noticed me back at the hospital? If anyone had, someone would more than likely be after me. This thought in my head, I looked over my shoulder, only to find that no one was there.

I was in the middle of a flat, wide-ranged, open, plane… Yeah, well hidden. I might as well have worn a sign on my back with '**AMBUSH ME**' scribbled on it in red paint. Oh well. My safety was the last thing on my mind at this point in time. I had planned out everything in my mind already. I would go to the Akatsuki hideout, and, somehow, no matter what, get her out of there. And then I'd talk to her about that last night we had been together, and hope that she would forgive me and everything would go back to normal.

Normal… Yeah, right. Just as soon as every last member of the Akatsuki dropped dead and burned in the fiery pits of…

Before I could finish my thought, and I'm sure that everyone knows what I was going to say, I stopped dead in my tracks, standing silently and listening carefully. Maybe I had only imagined it? That's what I was thinking until I saw Toshi appear far ahead of me; someone _had _known I would leave.

As if he had read my mind, Toshi sighed. "You're _really _predictable."

**Ayami's POV**

Satoru had woken up a few minutes after Saeko fell asleep. The girl was shocked to hear me say that Sae was here; I had to stop her from waking her up. But as I was holding her back, I heard it again. Something was rumbling somewhere around us; I was sure of it now. I had thought I was hearing things the first time, but now I knew… Holding my breath, I looked upwards towards the ceiling, but once again the darkness kept me from seeing anything.

I let go of an excited Satoru and crept over to the area where Hikari was breathing heavily in her sleep.

"Hey, wake up," I said, giving her a gentle shake. She stirred, but didn't wake. "Hikari, wake up!"

A few seconds passed, and then she mumbled, "Whaddayouwant?"

I sighed. "I know you've already tried this, but see if you can see anything again. With the Byakugan."

"No," she said grumpily. "Leamme alone."

I scowled. "Just do it and get it over with!"

Though she groaned, I could tell she was going to do it. "What am I looking for?" she asked, and I thought about it for a second.

"Look around the ceiling and the ground; I heard something rumbling a second ago." And sure enough, the noise was gone now. It was coming and going in spells. As she activated her Byakugan, I sat perfectly still, waiting to hear the rumbling noise again. Why did I have such a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach? A couple of minutes passed, until finally, she sighed. "I can't see anything."

I gulped; something was definitely wrong. I could feel it.

**Toshi's POV**

'Predictable', I had called him. And boy was I right. As soon as I'd heard that Saeko had been kidnapped, I knew he would go after her with the first chance he got. And I knew that he'd never forgive me –or anyone else, for that matter- if I told him off. So I had come on my own, and I wasn't going to slow him down while the others caught up. No, I was going to help him.

But I wasn't going just for him. I was going for Satoru, which, in a way, meant I was going for my mom, seeing as she was miserable without my sister.

And there was one more reason, though it was a reason I wouldn't share with anyone anytime soon.

**Kiyoshi's POV**

Despite the fact that Toshi and I had been friends for, well, as long as I could remember, I had still had a moment of fear when I saw him. For one split second, I thought that he had lead the others to me.

But now the fear was gone, and we were running across the plain. I cast him a sideways glance, but he was staring straight ahead, a serious expression on his face. Seeing as Toshi was the type of person to always think about something before actually doing it, I wasn't surprised to see that he was lost in thought. I just wondered what he was thinking about.

Obviously he was going for his sister; though they sometimes disagreed, Toshi was a good brother for Satoru. Generally, he was a good person all together.

But something was wrong about the look on his face. Something that somehow… disturbed me, and, though I didn't know why, filled me with anger.

Toshi must have noticed me looking at him, because he turned and looked at me. "What is it?"

"Nothing," I said, and from then on I stared directly ahead of me.

**Saeko's POV**

I awoke to a voice, screaming loudly in my ear. "Saaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkooo!!!"

It took me a second to remember where I was. Someone was hugging me; someone with tiny arms. "Satoru?" I hugged her back tightly, recalling the nightmare I had had about her…

"I missed you so much, Saeko-chan!"

I laughed. "I missed you too." From somewhere near me, I could hear Ayami cursing under her breath and moving around.

For some reason she seemed to grow quiet after this, as if something was bothering her. "Hey, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Have you seen my parents?"

I blinked. "Yeah. I've actually been with them for the last couple of days… and then we encountered the Akatsuki and… I wound up here."

"Oh," she sighed.

Once again, I heard Ayami curse to herself, and I slowly stood up, wobbling over to where she was moving around. My eyes were beginning to grow accustomed to the dark now; any figures, namely, people, were slightly visible. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"I think there's something bad happening," she said. "I keep hearing a rumbling noise, but I can't tell where it's coming from."

"Have you asked Hikari to-"

"Yes, but she couldn't see anything."

I sighed and looked away.

"Hey, wait a second!" she suddenly declared. I blinked and looked over at her. "Sae, doesn't your dad use fire-style jutsu?"

Hesitantly, I nodded.

"Well, can you?"

Me? Though I had seen my dad use the Phoenix Flower jutsu and the Fireball Jutsu, I had never attempted either of them. But I had memorized the hand signs. "I don't know… I've never tried them. I mean, I know the hand signs and the names of the jutsu, but…"

She smiled. "Then you can do it. It'll be easy for you."

A year or so before, I had attempted an unfamiliar jutsu for my first time, and I actually managed to make it work.

Nodding nervously, I began making the hand signs for the Fireball Jutsu. But my hands were shaking so fiercely that I kept messing up. Finally, though, I managed to get through the sequence of signs, and drew in a deep breath.

…

If you can call breathing out a simple line of fire 'succeeding', then I succeeded. I watched silently as the tiny, blazing jet of fire, no longer or thicker than a lizard's tongue, came and went… Ayami watched silently for a moment before encouraging me to try again.

This, I said to myself, is going to take a while.

**Kiyoshi's POV**

We were in the forest now; trees went by on either side of, disappearing from view as quickly as they had come. Close, now, and closer with every leap. I was so determined that the tree branches seemed like nothing beneath my feet, until finally…

"Here," Toshi said, jumping down from the tree branch he was standing on so quickly that I jumped another one. Rolling my eyes, I jumped down beside him.

"What?" I asked him.

He nodded towards an underbrush to my right. The entrance to the Akatsuki hideout. We looked around for the entrance for a while, until, finally, in frustration, I kicked at a pile of leaves, which flew up into the air, revealing a circular hole. I looked over at Toshi before shrugging and jumping down.

**Ayami's POV**

Saeko was getting better and better at the Fireball Jutsu; though the flames didn't stay long, they gave an abundant amount of light. Just enough for me to see something that stopped me dead in my tracks; streams of rubble falling from the ceiling…

She must have seen it too, for she stopped attempting the jutsu. "Sae, I think this building is about to-" I turned around to face her, only to find that she was gone.

**Saeko's POV**

What the-

Where am I? It's still dark, but I'm not standing where I was a few seconds ago. Ayami isn't standing in front of me anymore, and I can tell that somehow, I've ended up a floor blow her. Why? Because I can hear the rubble hitting the ceiling. The rubble that I had seen while I was standing behind her… The rubble that told me we were all in danger.

**Ok guys, here's the next chapter. And yes, I've already started Chapter 23… at least, I've started it in my mind. Now all that's left is to write it out. And for all of you who are wondering; yes, this story will **_**eventually **_**come to an end. And it will have an epilogue, which will be a first for me. **

**Anyway, one more thing; please review. Used to, I couldn't keep up with the reviews… and now they're not coming. I don't know if it's my readers just not reviewing, or fanfiction lagging by two weeks. Whatever it is, please review. I'm begging you. And no, I won't stop writing if you **_**don't**_**. I just really wish you would. **

**Thanks, **

**Saro**


	23. Chapter 23

**Just something to think about until I start chapter... whatever chapter I'm on. **

**Poll**

**What's your favorite character in my story?**

This includes Atsuhiro, Kohona, Ayami, Hiroshi, Hikari, Saeko, Toshi, Kiyoshi, Satoru, or any of my other Ocs.

**Quiz**

**-Have I described Ayami's appearance? If so, what does she look like?**


	24. For Sae's Sake

**Chapter Twenty Three- For Sae's Sake**

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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.

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NOTE: I'm really bad at measurements, so the Kilometers/Miles thing… probably not so accurate when applied to the amount of time it takes to get to the designated location.

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Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 20

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Ino + Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura + Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba + Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata + Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten + Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi + Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.

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_What the-_

_Where am I? It's still dark, but I'm not standing where I was a few seconds ago. Ayami isn't standing in front of me anymore, and I can tell that somehow, I've ended up a floor blow her. Why? Because I can hear the rubble hitting the ceiling. The rubble that I had seen while I was standing behind her… The rubble that told me we were all in danger._

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**Saeko's POV**

The rubble was falling all around me now, and the air was filled with the loud rumbling noise. My breath came in rapid spurts, one after another as I pounded my fists against the wall, looking for a way out. There has to be an opening, I thought to myself. But once again, I could barely see my own fingers two feet from my face.

As a waterfall of rocks and cement began to fall about a foot from where I was standing, I squinted my eyes closed and fought back a sob.

The air was thick with dust, making it harder to breathe as I continued scaling the walls, my little remaining hope fading with each passing second. Am I going to die here? Though I hated to do it, I couldn't help but ask myself this question.

The room was spinning, my throat was on fire, and I was ready to give up. Closing my eyes, I turned around and found myself falling to the ground.

"Ow… What the…" Before I could finish the question, I realized what had happened. My breath caught in my throat, and I froze. "Ki... Kiyoshi. When did… Where… Why?"

He tried to grin, but ended up wincing in pain. "Alright, first, get off of me."

(Normal POV)

Nodding, she struggled to her feet, her buckled knees shaking uncontrollably. He, too, fought to stand up, and as soon as he did, she threw her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder.

Shocked, Kiyoshi turned a bright shade of red, and then hugged her tenderly, allowing her to soak his sleeve with her tears. When she finally calmed down, he continued to hold her, resting his chin atop her head. Finally, she drew away from him and looked up.

"Where is everyone?" She asked.

"Dunno, Toshi was with me a second ago, but we decided to split up so we could try and scour the building to find the others."

She nodded and started to say something, but stood silently for a moment before asking, "Do you hear that?"

He blinked, "Hear what?" But even as he asked the question he realized what she was talking about. The unmistakable rumbling sound, the quaking beneath their feet, and then the rubble was falling worse than ever, and Saeko screamed.

**Meanwhile, In Suna...**

"You gave them _HOW_ much sugar?" Grace screamed, advancing on Kankurou, her hands balled into fists. Kankurou backed away, eyes wide as he tried pointlessly to explain.

"I didn't _intentionally _give them three cups of sugar each! They just... snuck into the kitchen. They're really talented, for nine months old."

"Well, _that _much I don't doubt, but you still should have been keeping a closer watch on them!"

"I'm _sorry!" _Kankurou whined. "Please don't kill me!"

Grace sighed. "The only reason I'm not going to is because I need you to keep watching them... But, if you screw up again, I _will _kill you."

Kankurou nodded. "Yes ma'am!" _Man, and I thought _Gaara _was scary..._

Scoffing, Grace turned and stormed from the room, heading towards the twins' nursery. Both Mamoru and Hajime were sitting up in their cribs, staring up at her with big, innocent blue eyes.

Smiling, she ruffled their hair, and quickly turned and left the room.

"Take good care of them," she said to Kankurou, and then she was gone into the coming night.

**Ayami's POV**

The boy wasn't proving to be of much help. His name was Toshi, he'd said, and I recognized him as one of the boys Saeko always hung out with. When I'd asked him his plan, he'd said that he and Kiyoshi, one of the other boys, had split up in an attempt to get them out of the building. But the rubble was falling, and time was slipping away, but they still hadn't found a way out.

Toshi was standing there, lost in thought, and I vaguely remembered my own father once telling me about Shikamaru, Toshi's father, being the best with strategies. Satoru kept glancing at her older brother. When she had hugged him for the first time, he had gently pushed her away and told her to stay out of the way. Now she was pouting.

Seeing no point in waiting around doing nothing, I joined Hikari on the far side of the room and we both began looking for a way out.

**Saeko and Kiyoshi**

This is useless, Saeko thought to herself, leaning against the wall and sinking to the ground beside Kiyoshi, who was out of breath. The room was freezing cold, and her tank top and skirt weren't exactly providing much warmth. The air seemed to be growing more contaminated with each passing second, and she couldn't help but breathe heavily.

"We're never gonna get out of here," she mumbled to herself.

Kiyoshi, growing aggravated because he couldn't think of him, started to his feet, but she wrapped her hand around her wrist. "Don't," she said. "Everything we've done so far has only made more rubble fall. It's pointless trying to do anything, so let's just sit down and..."

Squinting her eyes close, she winced in pain, and her head fell weakly across his shoulder. His eyes went wide as he realized that she was shivering.

"Sae, are you seriously cold."

Weakly, and without opening her eyes, she nodded.

Frowning, he put the back of his hand to her forehead, waited a moment, and then wrapped his arms around her. By then, she was all but sitting in his lap, breathing heavily, drifting along the edges of an unconscious state.

"Hang in there," he said softly. "I'll think of something to get us out of here."

But she had fallen asleep.

He sat there for a long time, holding her in his arms, leaning over her every time more rubble began to fall. Though he hated to admit it, her forehead had been burning up, and her arms were covered in gooseflesh, and she was breathing way too heavily.

_How long has she been down here? _Cursing, he made a silent promise to himself. If he lived to see them again, he would definitely get his revenge on the Akatsuki. For Sae's sake.

But before he could even begin to think of how, he felt himself fading into sleep too.

**The Parents and Other Adults**

The marks were vague, but easily seen. Broken branches, footprints... Toshi and Kiyoshi had gone this way, and now everyone else was. Sasuke, who had barely regained consciousness after Kiyoshi and Toshi left, had even gotten up, despite Sakura's warnings not to. And now they made their way through the forest in a big group that could have been spotted way too easily.

But, of course, that was the least of their worries now. Right now, their worries were their children.

Within minutes, they had found the underbrush, and dropped down into –yes- an underground city. The buildings were lined up in rows, but everything seemed deserted. The whole place looked like a maze, but it was easy to guess where they should go. To the building on the far end of the city, with the smoke rising up all around it. Nodding, they all started towards the building.

Everyone had gathered around the building, but a group of people –safety workers- kept them from entering. The building, the people had said, was in danger of collapsing, which earned a lot of wide-eyed glances and gasps from all from the parents.

Of course, they couldn't all go in, so, when the workers had their backs turned, a group of them –Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Kakashi, Kiba- (all the men) went inside, leaving Temari, Kurenai, Ino, Tenten and Hinata to worry.

"Up. Now."

Saeko opened her eyes to find herself being dragged to her feet. Blinking a couple of times, she turned away, coughed, and found herself staring into her father's worried –yet strangely, slightly angry- face.

She gasped. "What the-"

Kiyoshi had woken up now, and was standing there awkwardly, looking anywhere but at Saeko or her father. Saeko blinked. 'What's going on', she asked herself, but just as she was figuring it out, Sasuke put his hands on her shoulders and asked if she was ok.

"I'm fine," she said, and then broke into a violent fit of coughs. Sasuke couldn't help but notice that her face was red, and seeing no other reason for it, he felt her forehead. She was burning up.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go."

He had been relieved, of course, when he found his way into the room to find Saeko. But, seeing her that close to the boy had made an indescribable anger boil in his stomach- an anger that still hadn't completely faded.

Kiyoshi was trailing far behind them, and Sae, who was walking along beside her father, still couldn't figure out what had happened to create such an awkward silence.

Then again, through the coughs and blurry vision, she didn't have much mind to think about them anyway.

Fifteen minutes had to have passed before Sasuke spoke up again. "We're almost there," he said, casting his daughter a worried glance as she started wheezing again.

But as they continued to get closer to the surface, Saeko stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the ground for a moment.

"What's up?" Kiyoshi asked, and grew quiet as Sasuke glanced at him.

"Don't you... hear that?" Sae asked. Kiyoshi, ever since Sae had asked him the same question (right before the rubble had begun to fall) didn't like this question.

A few seconds passed, and Sasuke, knowing that the building could collapse at any moment, tried to get Saeko to continued walking.

"No," Sae whispered. "You don't hear it... The person... It's... It's Suzume!"

That said, she turned and ran back in the direction they had been coming, and Kiyoshi and Sasuke chased after her.

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"Suzume!"

Saeko pushed aside a wall of rubble, coughing as the dust filled her lungs. Suzume was lying in the room, her right leg splayed out in front of her, her eyes closed as she inhaled and exhaled deeply, fighting back cries of pain.

"Saeko?" she asked, opening one eye.

Saeko nodded and stumbled over to her.

"Never thought I'd say this," Suzume said, "but I'm really glad to see you."

Saeko smiled. "Yeah... What's wrong with your leg?"

"Rubble... Crushed everything from my knee down."

Frowning, Saeko put her fingertips to her rival's kneecap, but couldn't bring herself to summon up any chakra. It was gone, with her energy.

"Sae, what are you-" Kiyoshi and Sasuke had finally managed to catch up with her, and now they both stood in the opening that Saeko had created by pushing the rubble aside.

"It's Suzume," Saeko replied, without looking back at them. "Her leg was crushed, and I can't heal it, and she can't walk. We have to get her" –she coughed- "out of here!"

The rumbling started again. Looking around, Sasuke made his way over to his daughter, picker up Suzume, and they all started running as the rumbling began to grow louder.


	25. Rising from the Darkness

**A Couple of Notes:**

**1. Forget what I said about Saeko looking up to Temari. **

**2. Forget about the chapter where Sasuke doesn't seem to know ANYTHING about Saeko**

**3. As for Mamoru and Hajime... Ok, let's see... I definitely need to go back and edit this story, but I'm too lazy to write it, and you people can obviously just take my word for it. For now, until I straighten things out, let's just pretend that Grace was lecturing Kankurou over something else. Uh... And pretend that both of the babies were in the building and, uh... Gaara saved them both. **

**4. Wow... this is so unprofessional. **

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.**

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**NOTE: I'm really bad at measurements, so the Kilometers/Miles thing… probably not so accurate when applied to the amount of time it takes to get to the designated location.**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

**Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 20**

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**Ino + Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura + Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half**

**Kiba + Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata + Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten + Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi + Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.**

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"_It's Suzume," Saeko replied, without looking back at them. "Her leg was crushed, and I can't heal it, and she can't walk. We have to get her" –she coughed- "out of here!"_

_The rumbling started again. Looking around, Sasuke made his way over to his daughter, picker up Suzume, and they all started running as the rumbling began to grow louder. _

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**Ayami**

We'd been in the building for so long that the fresh air felt strange to my lungs. All around me the crowds were gathered, staring expectantly at the building, parents from all lands eager to find out if their children were in there, hoping they weren't, praying that if they _were, _they would make it out safely. As soon as I had come out, my mother's face had lit up with relief. Toshi and Satoru ran over to Ino, who looked like she had been crying for days on end. Hikari walked over to her mom indifferently, as if this sort of thing happened to her every day.

Most of the children were back now; some where being walked away by their parents, others being carried away towards the nearest hospital. Basically, the crowd had narrowed down to the shinobi of Konoha.

When I asked mom where my father was, she told me that he was in the building and would be back soon. Sure enough, he appeared in the entrance, an unconscious little boy in his arms. Behind him, Kiba, Neji and the others appeared, all carrying at least one person who had been in the building. When at last, they stopped appearing, my heart jumped to my throat. I hadn't seen her anywhere. Had she come out before me? I looked around at the crowd.

No. Saeko, as I feared, wasn't there. Neither was her father, or that other boy. They were still in there.

**Saeko, Sasuke, Kiyoshi**

With every step they took, it felt like the walls were closing in on them. Saeko was already beginning to feel weak, and, more than once, Kiyoshi had to reach over and stop her from stumbling and falling. Suzume was unconscious, still held in Sasuke's arms. It was cold and dark and dusty, not to mention noisy. Basically, it was torture.

But luckily, just as her stomach have a violent lurch, Saeko caught sight of the entrance.

"There," she said. Of course, the opening to the outside world could only be reached by climbing a huge pile of rubble, which, with Sasuke carrying Suzume, was going to take a few minutes to penetrate. With Kiyoshi's help, Saeko reached the top and reached down to help him.

It happened in the blink of an eye. The building began rumbling louder than ever, and in her shock, Saeko had jumped, her foot sliding on the rubble.

"Sae!"

She didn't even have time to figure out which one of them had yelled first before she fell backwards.

**Sakura**

She had been staring at the entrance expectantly for so long that it might have been an illusion. Despite herself, though, Sakura's heart gave a leap in her ribcage at the head of raven hair. She waited for a moment, thrilled. But her excitement melted away as quickly as it had come when she saw Saeko falling, tumbling down the hill of rubble.

She and a couple of others started running, and luckily, Naruto managed to catch the girl before she hit the ground. Blood, crimson, poured from the girl's arms and knees, her scalp and forehead. Wide-eyed, Sakura reached down to grab her daughter's wrist, only to find that her pulse was growing weak.

The clacking of rocks falling as someone else slid down the rubble wall; judging by Temari's sigh of relief, it was Kiyoshi.

Tears in her eyes, Sakura stared down at her daughter, and then Sasuke (after putting Suzume down as gently as he could in his haste) was on his knees beside her.

LittleBittyBarrierThingy

After multiple failed attempts to heal her daughter (all she had managed to do was slightly reduce the pain), Sakura realized that Sae needed to be taken to the nearest to the nearest hospital. Kiba picked up Suzume (all of the guys were carrying those unable to walk), and the group started back to the hospital they had just come from. It wasn't the nearest one, but at least that way, Sae would be treated immediately.

The whole way there, Saeko rode on Sasuke's back, her cheek resting against his shoulder. He kept his eyes straight ahead of him, moving faster than anyone would have thought possible. Occasionally, though, he'd look down at her, see the thin gash over her right eye, and start moving that much faster, until the others were struggling to keep up.

LittleBittyBarrierThingy

**Saeko**

Everything was black, as if someone had placed a blindfold over her eyes and turned off all the lights. She felt herself lying still , like she was floating amidst the clouds in a perfect blackness. But the darkness only highlighted the voices. They didn't sound like they were coming from around her. They sounded close, yet so far away and distant. And then she realized: they were coming from her own mind.

"No!" someone screamed. It was her mother's voice.

"Put her down!" Her father.

A moment of silence, and then, "Why would I do that?"

The voices died away, but they were quickly replaced by a series of images; her mother crying, her father glaring, and Itachi staring coldly back, holding an unconscious little girl in his arms.

Squinting her eyes open, Saeko sat up, heart pounding in her chest. Though she had been knocked out during the ending of the previous fight, she knew good and well that the images she had just seen were from a long time ago, years ago, even. Ignoring the sharp pain that coursed through her body, she struggled to her feet.

"Without showing any concern of her location, she stormed out of the room. But as she made her way through the hallway, she couldn't help but wonder where she was and how and why she had ended up there. Her questions were answered as she made her way further down the hall. The people in the identical uniforms told her that she was in a hospital. Her fragile reflection in a mirror's reflection telling her that she'd been out of it for some time.

"Oh, Sae, you're awake!"

Saeko turned around to find her mother stepping out of one of the rooms, followed by Ino.

"Are you ok?"

Keeping a serious expression on her face, Saeko ignored the question. "He wasn't gone, was he?" she asked, a note of anger hinted in her voice.

Sakura blinked. "What are you... oh." She looked away, an uncertain expression on her face. When she showed no signs of answering, Sae scoffed and turned away.

"Fine. If you won't tell me, then I'll go and ask him!" She stormed away.

"Sae, wait!" Sakura started, but Ino held her back.

"Let her go. This just might be exactly what they both need."

LittleBityBarrierThingy

She found him standing outside the hospital with Naruto, who turned to look at her and grinned.

Her father turned to look at her, his face lighting up with relief.

Saeko smiled, and an awkward silence filled the air.

Naruto, sensing that Sae wanted to talk to her father, turned and left without a word.

Leaning against the stucco wall, she allowed her smile to fade away as she turned to look at him again. "Can I ask you something?"

He blinked. "Yeah?"

"How long were you _actually _gone? And don't try to pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about, because I know that you were her at one point."

He looked away, unsure how to respond.

Tears came to her eyes, and, not wanting him to see them, she bowed her head, bangs hiding her eyes. "Why? Why did you leave? Why won't you tell me?"

Hearing all those 'why's' made him think back to a cloudy night, so many years ago. By not answering those questions, that night, he had hurt someone. And he had the feeling that it was about to happen again, unless... He sighed. "I was there for six years. I didn't want to leave, and I wasn't _going_ to, until..."

She looked up at him through bleary eyes.

"It was your sixth birthday. No one had heard anything about or from the Akatsuki in ages, so we figured that it was safe. Everyone in the village was at your party, Sae. And so were the Akatsuki."

She frowned, and her father continued.

"The first thing I though about was keeping you safe, but when I looked around, I couldn't find you anywhere..." he paused.

"So, they tried to take me, right?"

He nodded. "I chased him halfway through the forest. Your mom was panicking back in the village. I finally managed to get you away from him, and he left. I took you back to the house, and all the Akatsuki were gone. And after that night, I just..."

She blinked.

"I thought you'd all be safer if I left."

"Why don't I remember any of this?" she asked, her voice a shaky whisper.

He sighed. "We found a woman who knew a jutsu that altered your memory. It was all for your own safety."

She closed her eyes, sinking against the wall, continuing to fight back tears. "It's not fair," she said. "They screw everything up."

Sasuke nodded. "That's just what they do."

"Well, I am _sick _of it!" she screamed. "They _have _to be stopped."

"Hold it," he said, growing serious at the speed of light.

Confused, she blinked up at him. "What is it?" she asked.

"Don't go getting any crazy ideas. I don't want you even _thinking _of messing around with the Akatsuki. Got it?"

She frowned. "But I-"

"No," he siad. "End of discussion."

She looked away, angry tears forming in her eyes.

Sasuke sighed. "Look, I know you're upset, but you don't understand how dangerous they are!"

She growled. Great, another person who didn't know how well she understand. Well then, she said, I'll just have to show him... "I understand well enough to know that, should the Akatsuki continue on, more and more people are gonna get hurt!"

"You're right, there. But I'm not taking the chance of you being one of them."

She let out an exasperated sigh and looked away sadly.

He sighed again. "Look, I promise... They will be defeated soon."

She looked back at him and smiled halfheartedly, wanting more than anything to believe it. "Ok... and I won't even _think _about messing with the Akatsuki."

He nodded. "Good."

Behind her back, she laced her index and middle fingers together, before uncrossing them and pushing off of the wall. "Well, I'm gonna go check up on everyone else," she said, and he nodded again.

Surprising herself (and him), she hugged him, and then she was gone, leaving him to stare after her wide-eyed as she disappeared into the hospital again.

**(XoXoXoXoX)**

As Saeko walked through the hall, she thought about everything that had just been said and done. Remembering how she had crossed her fingers, she looked down at her hand lankly, angrily curling it into a fist.

Despite her father's promise, she wasn't quite convinced that the Akatsuki were going to be stopped. Unless someone did something. Unless someone fought back.

"Hey, you're awake!"

She turned around to find Kiyoshi walking towards her, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Wow. Are you all right?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Do you have any idea how long you've been out of it?"

She shook her head.

"You wanna know?"

Aggravated, she nodded.

"Two whole weeks," he said.

Saeko gasped. "No way!" she said. "Stop exaggerating."

He looked away, shrugging. "I'm not kidding," he said. "It's been two whole weeks."

She turned to look at the ground, a deep frown set upon her face. Two whole weeks had passed... The Akatsuki could be _anywhere _by now.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"...Nothing..."

Kiyoshi started to ask another question, but was cut off when his mom came around the corner. "Oh, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

Sae nodded. "Good, I guess."

Temari smiled at her. "Well, anyway, are you two ready to go?"

Kiyoshi and Saeko exchanged glances. "Go?" they asked, in unison. "Go where?"

"Back to Konoha, of course."


	26. Home Sweet Home Or Not

Chapter Twenty Five 

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.**

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**NOTE: Ok... So... here's the next chapter. :D I'm thinking it'll have about 32 chapters, but I could be wrong. You never know. Lol. **

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**Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 25**

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**Ino + Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.**

**Sakura + Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half**

**Kiba + Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.**

**Hinata + Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.**

**Tenten + Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.**

**Kakashi + Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.**

**Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.**

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**Saeko**

The village, whether because she hadn't seen it in almost a year or not, seemed unrecognizable. Unfamiliar. Yet, at the same time, there was the familiar, long awaited and prayed for feeling, like a breath of relief had washed over the land. They made their way through the village gates, all branching off into the direction of their own respective homes, each family seeing as much destruction as the others.

Crates, broken and tipped over on the ground, their contents (everything from rotten fruits to clothing) strewn out along the roads. Windows broken, blood stains on the walls and doorways where people had fallen and gotten right back up to keep running... even the ghost of the people's screams seemed to echo through the air, causing Saeko to sigh.

Their house was still the same- the few boxes y the front door, a drop of blood where Sae had tripped on her way up the stairs to her room, the door to her bedroom still standing wide open. She stopped in the doorframe, a faraway expression on her face. Around her bed, the floor was a sea of scrolls, plastic and wooden ninja tools... everything she had pulled out in her hurry to get the locket. She smiled to herself, walking over and laying down, immediately sinking into the cold, but familiar, mattress.

BY the time her mom came up to ask her something ten minutes later, Saeko had already drifted off into a peaceful state of dream-filled unconsciousness.

(Little Barrier Thingy)

"Ok, Ok, wait! I got it!" Sae said. Closing her eyes, she concentrated for a moment, then drew in a deep breath as she performed a series of hand signs.

"Katon! Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" she said, releasing the breath. A sliver of fir, barely larger that her upper arm was round, appeared from her mouth, flickering for a moment before disappearing. Crinkling her nose, she scowled. "Ugh! This isn't _working!" _

"Hold on," Sasuke said. "Don't give up just yet." As he said this, he walked forward and stood a few steps in front og her. "I'll show you again, ok?"

"'Kay, wait a second," she told him, quickly activating her sharingan.

Nodding, he, too drew in a deep breath, performing the hand signs (though a little differently than she had) and blowing out a sphere of fire easily as big as a four year old was tall.

Swallowing, Saeko nodded, then looked down at her hands as she attempted to do the hands signs exactly as her father had.

"No, like this" he said to her, weaving all of his fingers together, then adjusting them so that his index fingers and pinkies were pressed together.

Sighing, she nodded again and restarted the whole chain of hand signs, drawing in another deep breath. This time, the fire ball was as big around as a soccer ball, and the following try the ball would have gone up to her knee had it been resting upon the ground.

"All right, that's enough for today," Sasuke said, nodding approvingly.

Grinning, she turned and ran over to grab the small backpack that she had brought with her, prodding the ground with her toes. "See ya later!" she said, before leaving the training grounds.

Kiyoshi, Minoshi, and Koshibana-sensei were waiting for her at a pond just beyond the village gates.

"Geez! Were you gone long enough?"

"Shut up, Minoshi," she hissed, rubbing her aching throat.

Jumping up from a leaning tree stump, Kiyoshi turned to ask her how her training had gone.

She shrugged. "Not too bad, I suppose, but it probably could have been a little better. Now, what are we doing?" she asked the sensei.

"Today, you're all gonna work on the walking on water technique," he said, walking over to the water to demonstrate.

Saeko frowned. "But I don't like the water," she said, faking the voice of a pouting child. "It's all... wet."

"Yeah, Sae, it's water. And like it or not, you're required to learn it, so you might as well suck it up now..."

She let out an exasperated sigh. Minoshi rolled his eyes, and Kiyoshi laughed nervously.

Thirty minutes later, Saeko gathered up her bag, walking away from the water and towards the village gates as quickly as she could. Reaching up to wring out her sopping mane of raven hair, she scoffed to herself, muttering under her breath.

"Absolutely pointless... I hate the freakin' water..." A sudden loud noise behind her cause her to stop dead in her tracks, hoping that it wasn't her sensei telling her to come back.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" Kiyoshi asked, walking over to her.

She frowned in confusion. "Of course. But I don't wanna go back to the village just yet, so let's walk."

"So, what did you wanna talk about?" she asked, folding her hands behind her back as she cast him a sideways glance.

He stared at the ground, a distant and forlorn expression on his face. She felt the corners of her mouth turn down. Why was it that him being unhappy always made her sad?

A minute or so passed, but nobody said anything. Finally, she folded her arms across her chest and sighed. "Come on, what's up? Kishi!"

He looked up and frowned at her. "Don't call me that, Physco."

"Then answer me," she said, growing serious. "What's wrong?"

He looked towards the sky for a moment, then at her, and then in the other direction. "Actually," he sighed. "I was going to ask you about the Akatsuki."

Growing alert, she quirked an eyebrow. "Oh really? And what about them?"

"I saw you cross your gingers behind your back when you were talking to your dad. So, what are you planning on doing?"

Closing her eyes, she sighed. "Nothing," she told him softly, and then, when he gave her a 'yeah-right' look, she added, "as of yet."

He nodded. "So, basically, you _are _going to come up with something eventually?"

Opening her eyes, she cast him a sideways glance. "Why are you so interested anyway?"

"What do _you _think?" Kiyoshi asked, staring at her seriously. "I want to help you, of course."

She shrugged. "Well, if I think of anything, then you'll be the first to know. Same goes for you, got it?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding.

"Ok, well, I gotta get going. I just remembered that I have messenger duty soon." With that, she turned and ran towards the village entrance, pulling her hair up into a tight, high ponytail. Messenger mission? Yeah, right. She hadn't meant to lie, but she was dying to find something (no, anything) to give her an idea.

So, adjusting the bag upon her back, she started through the empty village streets, looking around and frowning every few minutes. A few people had returned to Konoha, but most of them were busy clearing up the mess left over from the escape. Bending down, she picked up a hammer and reached up, handing it to a man on the roof who had just dropped it. He nodded in gratitude, and she quickly continued on her way.

Within minutes, she was sitting beneath a patch of trees in the higher part of Konoha, staring down at the lower village with a bored expression on her face.

Beyond the village gates, a few colors were moving, appearing through spaces in branches, getting closer. And then the answer hit her. People! Returning to the village, they'd all be full of things to say, and, if she was lucky, some of them might have ideas as to where the Akatsuki were. Grinning, she jumped down from the cliff, landing on a rooftop in the lower village before jumping to the ground and darting over to Ijiri's, the biggest restaurant in town.

"Ijiri!" she yelled, ducking into the restaurant. When no reply came, she bit her lip. Surely he was back by now! But as she started towards the kitchen, she began to doubt it.

"Oh, Saeko!"

She turned around to the entrance, her eyes lighting up as they fell upon Ijiri Kotosu, whose lips were set in a polite smile. "

"Did you need something?" he asked, stepping away from the doorway and allowing the curtain to fall and shield Saeko's eyes from the bright sunlight.

She nodded. "Well, I was thinking... if you weren't too tired, all those people just getting here will probably be hungry."

Ijiri blinked. "Yeah, I guess. But there's no way I can cook all that food _and _take orders all by myself!"

She looked around the restaurant. "Well, I could help take orders, and I'm sure a few more people will volunteer, once they get here."

When Ijiri still didn't look convinced, Saeko frowned.

"Please? Thos poor people must be _starving!_"

Running his fingers through his black hair, Ijiri sighed. "Well, I guess you're right. But if you're gonna work here, you have to wear a uniform. Go check the room behind the kitchen."

"Yay!" she squealed, skipping across the restaurant, then into a kitchen, and then into a room stacked high with boxes, labeled 'Utensils', 'Pots and Pans', 'Plates'... Aha. In the back corner, set on a bench, there was a pile of brand new outfits, the plastic encasing them tinged with dust. She shook the dust off of one of the packages, then quickly changed into the all-white women's uniform.

When she emerged again Ijiri grinned over at her. "Ah... It suits you. Maybe you should apply for a part time job when everything goes back to normal. Anyway, perfect timing. I've just put up the 'open' sign, so the people should start arriving any minute now.

Sure enough, twenty minutes later, the restaurant was packed, a crowd waiting to be seating at the front door.

"Coming, coming!" Sae said, noticing that the other woman who had volunteered to work was currently leading someone to a table on the other side of the restaurant. Grabbing an armful of menus she hastily seated a family of four, took their drink orders, took the orders to the kitchen and returned to take the entree orders of a couple who had been waiting for ten minutes.

"Oi, girl, your order's up!" called one of the guys in the kitchen. Scribbling the couples' orders, she ran to the kitchen, handed the order to a tall man, grabbed a tray packed with food, took it to it's proper table, taking more drink and food orders...

An hour later, the commotion finally died down, and Sae, though her feet were killing her, roamed slowly through the rows of tables, listening carefully.

"We ended up in the Snow Village," one woman was saying to a group of ladies.

"Really? We were in Sunagakure," one of the ladies replied, and Sae, recognizing her from the journey to the Sand Village, came up to their table with a pitcher of raspberry tea.

"Oh, it's you!" The woman exclaimed, seeing Saeko clearly for the first time. "We were looking _everywhere _for you that night after your birthday party! Where have you been?"

Sae gave the woman a cheesy, nervous grin. "I wandered off, and met up with someone I knew outside of the village."

"Yeah, and the Kazekage's nephew went with you!" the woman replied, giving Saeko a knowing glance as she sipped from a glass of water.

"Oi, waitress!" someone yelled across the room, and Saeko quickly ran over to pour the man more coffee, before returning to roaming through the restaurant.

"We were in the Waterfall village the _whole _time!"

"We got lost on the way to a relative's house."

"There was this one family taking care of a group of children. I have no idea where there parents were..."

Saeko frowned, thinking of Atsuhiro, Hiroshi, and Kohana. Shortly after they arrived back in Konoha, Saeko had asked Hinata where the twins were, and had been told that they Hiroshi were staying with relatives in a land beyond the grass village.

"My poor Sato ended up kidnapped, but she managed to escape and we found her a week later. It was a miracle! Thought my heart was gonna beat right out of my chest when I saw her!"

"Did you hear about the collapsing building?" A man at the bar was asking. The man on his left shook his head.

"No, didn't hear. What happened?"

A man on the asker's right cleared his throat. "Well, I heard about it, all right," he said, gulping down a cup of sake. Saeko bent over, refilling the halfway full cup of tea of a woman nearby as slowly as she could.

"I've heard," the man continued. "About them Akatsuki members, kidnapping little kids, then throwing them in a hidden building and waiting for the parents to come, and then blowing up the building."

Handing the woman back her drink, Saeko bit down on her lip, looking for another excuse to stay near the three men.

"Waitress!"

She whirled around to see who had called her. Luckily, it was a family of three, only two tables away. Close enough to the men, but with all the restless chatter... Seeing why the three were calling her over, Sae held up an index finger, informed them that she'd be right back, and then waltzed back over to the bar, asking the man behind it for a rag. The three men were still talking.

"So, the Akatsuki. Did they get away?"

"Unfortunately," the first man replied, sighing.

"Any idea where they might be now?"

"Miss, the rag."

Saeko took the rag, but continued to lean against the bar, listening intently.

"I dunno," started the third man. "I've heard that they're somewhere near the Village hidden in the mist, but it could have just been a rumor."

"Waitress!" The family of three were throwing napkins all over the place, trying to hold back the water that was pooling over the edges of the table.

Sighing, she ran over and kneeled down to wipe up the mess, still trying to listen in on the men's conversation, even though a hundred other voices were cutting in.

"Wow. I haven't had such god food in a long time."

"I know. We were provided for in the rock village, but let's face it. There's no place like home!"

"Well, I hear they're farther away. You know, towards the village hidden in the snow," a woman walked over to the bar, ordering a cup of sake.

As she finished mopping up the mess, Saeko took the boy's dripping glass, and a tray on a nearby empty table, and started towards the kitchen.

"Ijiri!" she called, pushing the door open with her hip. "Someone just offered to take my place! I gotta go!"

"All right" Ijiri yelled back from behind a row of aluminum cabinets. "You can keep the uniform!"

"'Kay!" She dropped the tray on a counter, washed and refilled the boy's cup, took it to him, and made her way to the room behind the kitchen. Most of the boxes were open now, their contents all taken to the kitchen. She went over to the bench where the uniforms had been and quickly pulled the white shirt off over her head.

Five minutes later, she was making her way through the streets, heading towards the academy, when: "Nee-chaaan!!!"

She whirled around, just in time to feel herself being tackled to the ground, and then she was staring up at the gray sky, blinking. She pushed herself up onto her elbows. "Oh, guys! You're back!"

In an instant, I'm hugging all three of the. Atsuhiro, Kohana, and Hiroshi, all of whom are grinning and giggling as I ruffle their hair.

"Didja miss us nee-chan?"

"'Course I did!" I said, patting Atsuhiro on the head.

Hiroshi and Kohana stuck out their tongues. "Yeah, but she missed me more!" Kohana cried, pushing Atsuhiro away and hugging Saeko again.

"Oh, guys I missed you all _so _much!" Saeko exclaimed. "But, I bet your parents missed you a lot too! Wanna go check up on them?"

Kohana nodded. "Sure, but... can you take us?"

Saeko sweatdropped. "I'm sorry, but I have to go somewhere, myself."

"Please?" the three asked in perfect unison, and I frowned.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," I said to a pouting Kohana. "But I really can't."

She crinkled her nose, looking like she was about to sneeze, and then she turned her back, folding her arms over her chest. The boys were showing equal signs of anger.

I sighed. "Why do I have to be so soft, anyway?" I asked, as I began to lead the three down the street.


	27. Christmas Special

Thoughts of a Broken Family- A Christmas Special 

**Note: The following story is not a chapter in Thoughts of a Broken Family. **

**Note 2: The time setting on this one is undetermined, though I'm thinking around seven years old.**

**Note 3: Ok, I suddenly want to hear all of your opinions on my chars/ pairings. What do we think of Saeko? SaeKishi? Should she be with someone else? Ideas? Suggestions? Is it fine as it is?**

**Note 4: Chapter 27 in progress. Possibly up tomorrow. If so, it will be a FOURTH Christmas presents for my readers. **

Clouds covered the sky overhead, an unusual sight for the people of Konoha. Adults making their way through the streets stopped to stare up at the overcast sky, not knowing what to think.

"Wow, Kiyoshi! Look at that fluffy white stuff! It looks like fun! Do you know what they are?" Sae asked, as a few white flake-like things began to fall towards the ground.

It's called snow, baka," Kiyoshi said, without turning to look at her.

"Aw... I'm not a baka, Kishi."

He shrugged. "Don't call me that."

She frowned, then looked at the white stuff falling from the sky again. Snow. "What does snow do?" she asked.

"It falls down, and if it touches you, you die."

She turned to look at him with big eyes, opening her mouth to say something only to find that no words came out. "..."

Enjoying the effect his words had had on her, he smirked to himself. "Just kidding... Baka. It doesn't _do _anything. It just... falls."

"Oh, Ok. If you say so, _Kishi._"

"Don't call me that." He said while blushing a bit.

"Aww, why not, it's cute...Come on let's go play with the snow!" She said, grabbing ahold of his coat and pulling him toward the park.

His cheeks now positively flaming, he allowed himself to be tugged along. "Sae!"

"Come on! It'll be fun! We could make into litttle balls and throw them at each other!"

"...Okay...but whoever wins buys the other a cup of hot chocolate, 'Kay?"

"Okay, _Kishi_. Come on, we're here!"

They soon got to work molding mini-forts and a myriad of snowballs.

"Ready?" Sae asked, staring over the tip of her fort at him.

He scoffed. "Bring it on."

Within minutes, the two of them were laying on the ground behind their mishapen forts, both waiting for the other to make a move without making a sound.

"Oi! Kiyoshi! Ya ready to buy me a nice cup of hot chocolate?"

"Yeah right! In your dreams is more like it!"

He was about to throw a snowball at her, but she was too quick. A snowball hit him square in the nose.

"Oh no! Kiyoshi! Did I hurt you? Are you okay??"

She ran to him and plopped down on the cold, wet snow right next to him.

"I'm okay... But you won't be!"

He threw a snowball right at her, taking advantage of their situation.

They both burst out into laughter.

"I guess it's a draw. How about I buy you a drink and you buy me a drink?"

She considered it for a moment before slowly nodding. "Sounds like a deal," she said, and then grabbed him by the wrist. "But let's hurry, because I'm _freezing._"

Rolling his eyes, he let her pull him along by the hand, until they were stumbling into Ijiri's restaurant.

"Oi, Ijiri!" he called, as they raced over to the bar. The restaurant was about to close, and already

the employees were beginning to put up the chairs. Ijiri was wiping down the bar.

Blinking, the man looked up from the rag. "Oh, hey, kids. What can I do for you?"

"H-h-hot chocolate," Saeko breathed, teeth chattering as she shivered uncontrollably.

Ijiri turned to look at the closed sign on the front door, then smiled warmly and shook his head. "Oh, all right. Two hot chocolates, coming right up." He walked over to start boiling a pan of water. "So, are you two enjoying the snow?" he asked over his shoulder.

Saeko nodded. "Yeah, but it's really cold!"

"Baka, that's the point," Kiyoshi said, grinning.

"Kishi, you're mean!" Saeko declared, frowning.

Ijiri laughed, and Saeko stared in awe as Kiyoshi's face turned twenty shades of red in less than ten seconds.

"Here ya go, kids," Ijiri said, placing the two steaming mugs before them. Grinning, Saeko lunged at hers, a bit too quickly. With only one swallow, she was resting her head against the bar, holding her tongue with tears forming at the rims of her eyes.

Kiyoshi brought his hand to his mouth, fighting back a laugh. Ijiri quickly ran over with a cup of water, which Sae downed in two gulps. When she finished, her tongue felt swollen, and she was panting for breath and coughing violently. Blinking and still laughing, Kiyoshi pounded her on the back.

"Ah, there you are."

Leaning backwards onto the stool until she almost fell off, Saeko looked up at Kiba. Kiyoshi turned around to do the same.

"Oh, hey, dad," Kiyoshi said. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Your uncle Kankurou stopped by. He's got your Christmas presents, but he has to leave in a while. Your mom wants you to come home."

Kiyoshi nodded, then turned to look at Sae with a frown. "But, I..."

"No, it's ok. I'm about to go home, too. Mom's almost done at work. You're so lucky," she said, pretending to be happy. "You get to open presents so early!"

Kiyoshi didn't look convinced, but he quickly nodded and hopped off of his stool.

"See ya, Sae," Kiba and Kiyoshi said at the same time.

Saeko nodded. "Yeah, bye." She watched silently as the two left the restaurant together, and she frowned.

Kiyoshi was so lucky to have both of his parents. Not to mention his two uncles. And the worst part of it all was that he didn't seem to understand just _how _lucky he was. A few seconds passed, during which she was lost in thought. Finally, though, she turned around and began digging in her pockets for cash.

"Don't worry," Ijiri said. "It's on me."

She blinked, and then nodded. "Thanks, Ijiri."

"No problem."

A few minutes later, she was walking through the snow-covered streets, her breath forming misty clouds before her eyes as she kicked at the ground. Despite the fact that it was Christmas Eve, her mother still had to work, and Sae had no idea when she'd be able to go home. Besides, it'd be lonely at home, _anyway. _Even _if _Sakura was there.

(Little Barrier Thingy)

She didn't know how long she'd been outside. All she knew was that her fingers were purple from the cold, her face red, gooseflesh covering her arms and legs. The sun had long since sank, giving way to the full moon, which drowned the village in a exhilarating white light. She was sitting on a frozen bridge, swinging her feet through the air as she stared down at her reflection in the black surface of the water.

Her cheek was resting against a frozen wooden post, red and raw and numb.

She sighed. Surely, her mom would be off by now. Possibly on her way back towards the house, where she would find that Saeko was missing. Kiyoshi was still at his house, no doubt laughing and opening presents sent from Sunagakure, surrounded by family...

She frowned, reaching up to grab a lock of her shoulder length raven hair and examining it thoroughly. Blue. Not pink. So, shouldn't that be a clue? Just one measly clue to find out who _her _father was?

She scoffed, pushing the strand of hair behind her ear and kicking the air violently. Just as she was about to jump to her feet, a voice made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Someone looks lonely."

The corners of her lips sinking, she turned around to look at Kiyoshi and bowed her head. "I thought you were opening your presents." She kept her head bowed, not wanting him to see her so upset.

Shrugging, he came down and sat down beside her, and she turned away.

"I was," he said. "But then I got done, and Uncle Kankurou had to leave, and I figured you _probably _hadn't gone home yet."

"It's Christmas Eve. You should be at home."

He sighed. "Same goes for you. No one should be alone on Christmas Eve. And, like I said, I figured you hadn't been home yet. So, being the ultra super nice person I am, I decided to come and cheer you up."

Blushing slightly, she looked up and forced a smile. "You didn't need to. I don't need cheering up. I'm fine."

"Yeah... _right," _he replied sarcastically, and then hopped up, grabbing her by the wrist. "Come on, let's go!"

"Kiyoshi... where are we going?" she asked, as he dragged her along through the forest.

He shrugged. "No idea. We're just... _going. _'Kay?"

With a grateful smile that he couldn't even see, she nodded and stumbled along behind him.

"So, how about a rematch?" he asked, as they slowed down, nearing the training grounds. "Seeing as no one really won last time."

She grinned, then stuck out her tongue. "Of course. Only this time... Whoever loses has to give the winner a Christmas present."

Fifteen minutes passed, before they both collapsed to the ground, a couple of inches away from each other, their bare skin pressed against the snow, their eyes set on the clouds.

"I won," Kiyoshi said, casting her a sideways glance.

Unable to deny the final blow, she nodded. "Yeah... So, what do you want for Christmas?" she asked snappily. She hated losing.

Kiyoshi shrugged. "Actually... I have no idea," he mumbled, and then looked away. "Surprise me."

She crinkled her nose. "I suck at picking out presents for boys," she said, sitting up slightly, resting on her elbows with her knees arched upwards slightly. "Give me a hint?"

"I honestly don't know. Just forget about the deal, you don't have to get me-"

His voice drifted away as she rolled over on her stomach and kissed his cheek softly. By the time that he realized what had happened and he began breathing again, his face the color of the Kazekage's hair, Saeko had already gotten up and run from the training grounds, leaving nothing behind but a trail of sloppy footprints.

"Merry Christmas, Kishi!" she called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the forest.

**Aw... Fluff. Wow, I didn't think I would finish this tonight. :D I **_**am **_**on time for Christmas. This is only Part 1 of your Christmas present, readers! I should have two others up, though they have nothing to do with this particular fanfic.**


	28. Keeping Tabs

X-X-X-X-X-X-XDisclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.X-X-X-X-X-X-XNOTE: Ok... So... here's the next chapter. I'm thinking it'll have about 32 chapters, but I could be wrong. You never know. Lol. X-X-X-X-X-X-XThoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 26X-X-X-X-X-X-XX-X-X-X-X-X-XIno Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a halfKiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.

_"I'm sorry, sweetie," I said to a pouting __Kohana__. "But I really can't."__She crinkled her nose, looking like she was about to sneeze, and then she turned her back, folding her arms over her chest. The boys were showing equal signs of anger.__I sighed. "Why do I have to be so soft, anyway?" I asked, as I began to lead the three down the street._

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

I found the guys on the Academy campus, gathered around the base of the tree, just like always. The only problem, though, was that it was only Kiyoshi and Toshi. No Kane, and, while I could live with _that_, no Takeshi, which bothered me. I thought back to that night, almost five months ago, when we'd had to flee the village. Mom had told me that those two had also been captured.

"There she is." As I drew nearer to the tree, I could see Kiyoshi's expression, his lips set in a tight line. Angry, some people would say. But I knew better. It was probably just an act.

Laughing nervously, I scratched my nose and flopped down cross-legged in front of him, never looking away from his eyes. They were darker now, almost black, as they always were in the rare occasions that he wasn't happy. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I said, holding my hands up with my palms facing him. "I didn't mean to lie about the stupid mission. Though, in all honesty, you should have caught on a little sooner."

He glared at me, and I continued. "Anyway, what I was _really_ doing was working at Ijiri's , thinking about what we could do about the you-know-who. And then, I was coming back here, but I ran into Kohana, Atsuhiro and Hiroshi, and Kohana made me take them home."

Toshi scoffed. "Made you?"

"Emotional blackmail. Works every time." I scowled.

Kiyoshi shook his head. "Ok, emotional weaknesses set aside. You seem really wound up" –as he spoke, I realized I was gnawing on my bottom lip- "So…. Did you figure anything out?"

I looked around once, and, when I was sure that nobody was around, I nodded. However, I still kept my voice low when answering. "Yeah… Now, think about it. While I was in there working, it was seriously _packed_. And of course, just returning to the village, all of these people were absolutely full of rumors and stories."

Kiyoshi nodded, urging me to go on. Apparently, he'd already told Toshi that we were planning on doing something about the Akatsuki.

"So, instead of messing with the Akatsuki, we could just keep tabs on them. That way, we'd still be informed, but I could still keep my promise!"

"What promise?" Toshi asked. Obviously, he hadn't heard about this part. I shook my head.

"Not important," Kiyoshi answered for me, then added, "Ok, so… We keep tabs on them _how_ exactly?"

I rolled my eyes. "Through the people, like I just said."

A gentle breeze blew through, ruffling the untrimmed grass all around us. I reached up to brush a loose strand of hair from my face, watching Kiyoshi and Toshi mull it over. Toshi was the first one to say anything.

"It's not a bad idea, exactly. The only problem is that _most_ of what these people are saying is just rumors. Stories, anything for attention. Just one little conversation could set us off on an entirely false page."

"Ok, yeah. Rumors. But think about it. There can't be any smoke without fire," I declared.

Kiyoshi closed his eyes. "Unless it's really hot. And this situation is about as hot as it's going to get."

Angrily, I blew the same lock of hair away from my eyes again. "Well, sorry for trying to think of ideas! At least I _was_ trying. And then I come back with an idea and you're both going to be all negative about it!" I hopped up, turning to walk away, but Kiyoshi pulled me back down.

"Cool it, hot head. Nobody's being negative. We're just pointing out the obvious facts. This is a really big task we've got here, and we can't afford to make careless mistakes." He kept his jaw set, but I could see his eyes lighten with amusement as I settled down next to him.

Folding my arms across my chest, I sighed.

"Another important detail," Toshi said. "What happens when, after a few days, the rumors die down? We'll be left with nothing to strive on. And, if you think about it, we're usually one of the last ones news gets to."

Though I wanted to protest, I knew that I couldn't deny it. What he said was true. I bowed my head. "We need a way to get information from outside of the village, secretly, and before the adults and the Hokage do."

"You need information from outside of the village? On what?"

All three of us turned around, growing alert at the familiar voice.

"Takeshi!"

He was standing a few yards away, a curious expression on his face. Immediately, I was filled with relief. Takeshi was fine. He came over and sat down in front of our little group, a calm expression on his face. Something seemed… different about him.

"Well? What's going on?"

As I lost myself in a whirlpool of thoughts, Kiyoshi and Toshi quickly got to work filling him in on everything. I saw Takeshi nod a few times, the serious, tranquil expression never leaving his face. When the other two were finished explaining, he nodded once more.

"I see. So, you want to keep up with everything the Akatsuki are doing. Secretly, with nobody else knowing what you're up to?"

This time, I nodded.

Takeshi crossed his arms. "Hmmm. Well, I have to say it's a bit of a risk. A long shot, really… But, I think I've got a way for us to get news from outside of the village."

"Tell us," Kiyoshi murmured. I could see that just the idea of doing something risky and dangerous and stupid (even though it was my own plan, I knew just how horrible it was) and, above all, more dangerous. It almost made me regret that I had even told him anything.

I really didn't want him to be so excited about the possibility of getting himself hurt.

"Well, like I've said before, I have relatives in the Waterfall village, and then more relatives in all of the other, lesser villages in between here and there. So… if you're up for it… We could start a little line of communication. I've got quite a few cousins my age, and none of them would turn us in." Takeshi grinned, something I rarely saw him do. I realized then what the difference was- he seemed more confident, a little less quiet. More like the fierce warrior his name described.

Toshi, being the natural strategizing person in our group, bobbed his head slowly. "There are two villages in between here and there, right?"

"Yes."

Silently, Takeshi pulled out a scroll from the pouch on his leg, and a pen. I watched in silence as he drew out four large circles, the two larger ones (representing Konoha and the Waterfall village, I assumed), on the outsides, and two smaller ones in the middle. He labeled each of them with their proper names, and then handed the sheet of paper to Takeshi, who took the pen and leaned over the makeshift map.

"Ok, so… From here to Tsukimano village…." He drew a line connecting Konoha to the nearest, small dot. " I have a cousin whose about a year older than me there. He'll love the idea, and he can get information from my other cousins, Takihana and Mitsuhiro in Tatchimoki." He connected the two smaller ones, and then the last small one to the Waterfall village. "And from there, Takihana and Mitsuhiro will be easily able to get news from the Waterfall, and then get it back to us."

Despite my earlier anger at Kiyoshi for doing the same thing, I grinned. "Sounds awesome. So, let me get this straight. We'll have to go to Tsukimano, pass on the news, and then your cousin will take it to Tatchimoki, and go to the Waterfall village, and then they'll pass it back to us."

Takeshi nodded, and we looked at Toshi. He nodded in agreement.

"Of course, we'll have to do it at inconspicuous times. Night, more often than not." Toshi looked up at the sky.

Kiyoshi shrugged. "Sounds like a plan. When do we start?"

Everyone exchanged glances, and our looks said it all.

"Tonight," me and Kiyoshi said at the same time.


	29. Sneaking In

Author's Comments 

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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.

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**Note: Please, please, PLEASE review. I'll never make you wait so long again! Oh, and, btw, I'm going to start updating some long since untouched stories. The top ones on my list are Kunoichi Competition and The Merry Go Round. If you have any others that you would like me to update, please let me know.**  
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Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 28

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Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.

_Now all we had to do was get home as soon as possible, __**before**__ everyone started waking up. With all the early birds in our village, though, my own mom included, I began to worry. We were cutting it awfully close._

"Don't worry," Kiyoshi said, as he looked over me and saw the obvious feelings on my face. "We'll make it."

But we sped up anyway.

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"It'll take at least a week for us to get a reply," Takeshi said, as we sped along through the forest. "Kira's supposed to meet us halfway between here and Tsukimano next Saturday, at midnight."

I nodded, and, realizing my palm was growing sweaty, stole my hand back from Kiyoshi, rubbing the palm against the thigh of my pants. His arm fell to his side, and his eyes stayed locked dead ahead of us.

The towering, dark outline of the wall came in to view. Judging by the color of the sky (a lighter navy color that was threatening to give away to light gray at any moment), it was somewhere around five in the morning. My mom usually woke up at five forty five to leave for work at the hospital.

Frowning, I closed my eyes, letting the cool breeze, a product of our high speed, whip at my face, my hair buffeted my cheeks and eyes. As we drew closer, my suspense grew higher. Surely, I should have been getting _calmer_ as we approached, but, as a lot of things are in my life, it was backwards. I was worried, my heart pounding in my ears. If anyone had discovered our absence in the middle of the night, and if Toshi hadn't been able to think of anything to tell them, we'd be in trouble. And not just trouble as in 'you're grounded' trouble. As a matter of fact, I couldn't even begin to think of what would happen if we were discovered.

Another bad habit of mine kicked it: I began to fear the worst, tranquil as everything around me seemed.

By the time we were within measuring distance of the walls, I began to wonder if this was what it must be like to have a panic attack. I tried desperately to control myself, seeing as Kiyoshi and Takeshi were so close to me… I didn't want them to think that I couldn't handle this.

Could I, though?

Would I really be able to live like this for so long, sneaking out after everyone else was asleep, fearing that we'd be discovered. _No, no, no_! I argued with myself. I was fine. This was nothing, absolutely nothing. I'd handled worse before. Far, far worse. Nothing, I told myself again.

We weren't going to be discovered, and even if we were, we'd think of some way to get out of it. Though, I wondered, if my parents figured out, if I'd be able to sneak around the bars that I knew would be placed over my window. Or maybe there wouldn't be guards. Maybe they'd hire the ANBU to stand around outside my bedroom window, waiting for me to take a shot and sneaking out. I giggled to myself at the thought, and the laughter helped me relax.

"What are you giggling about?" Kiyoshi asked, looking over at me.

I shrugged. "Nothing. Just can't wait for next Friday, is all."

He rolled his eyes, and Takeshi continued a few yards ahead of us. "Amazing. You were panicking all night, and now you're gonna throw out that excited crap? You're a little behind, Sae."

"I was _not_ panicking!" I protested.

When he didn't answer, I knew that he didn't believe me. About being panicked, anyway. He seemed to buy that I had enjoyed the night's activities. And then, with a sharp intake of breath, I realized that we were ascending. A few more branches, a few more jumps, and then we were hopping the wall, being extremely careful not to make a single noise as we landed.

Toshi was still sitting there against the wall, only this time, his eyes were closed, his mouth hanging open slightly.

I growled. He'd fallen asleep. "Oi, Toshi!" I hissed. When he didn't reply, I clenched my fists, and I could practically hear Kiyoshi roll his eyes. I walked over and nudged Toshi in the side with the toe of my sandal. "Wake up, Toshi!" It took a few more tries, a few more nudges before he sat bolt straight, looking around in confusion. From the corner of my eye, I saw Kiyoshi and Takeshi shaking their heads sympathetically, and then, ever so slowly, Toshi turned around to face me.

By the time I'd finished a few minutes later, I had my fingers clenched around the neck of Toshi's shirt. "What the hell is the matter with you? Someone could have i seen /i you. I thought you were gonna move somewhere less obvious!!! And what were you thinking, falling asleep like that?!? Some guard you are!"

As I let him go, he sank back onto his feet, perplexed. Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes. "Geez, you remind me of my _mom!_"

"Guys," Kiyoshi started, pulling me away before I could lose it. "Time to go."

Gasping, I realized that he was right. The sky was growing lighter with every passing second. I threw one final glare at Toshi, and then we were off, spreading out as we reached the nearest intersection. Takeshi and Toshi went to the right, in the general direction of their house. Toshi muttered something, probably a goodbye of some sort, and took off to the left. I went straight, never slowing. I didn't look back.

Everything was still, dull and noiseless. The darkness was slowly beginning to ebb, and I knew that, within minutes, the village would begin to come to life. I realized how peaceful it was, and, at the same time, how much I loved mornings in Konoha.

Sneaking back in was almost as easy as sneaking out. I crept into the alley between our house and the neighbor's, and hopped up to the sill of my second-story bedroom window, grabbing the removed screen from the way up. Silently, I slid the window open, then pulled the screen back into place and closed the window once more.

Hastily, I tore the rubber band from my hair, and the locks fell all over the place, a raven mess. I looked toward the door, and glanced over at my bed, changing into my pajamas before crawling under the covers.

I didn't know how long I was laying there, curled up on one side, my back facing the door. I stared over at my window, my mind racing.

The only thing I hadn't thought about was time. I was afraid to close my eyes, because I knew that, as soon as I did, I would fade into a state of unconsciousness, too deep to be broken. I'd be out of it for hours. The exhaustion part was going to be hard to deal with, especially if I had to go through as much training as I had the previous day: training with my dad, followed by training with my team. At least tonight I wouldn't have to worry about staying up late.

A few more minutes passed, and I drew out the day's outline in my mind. To wake myself up, I decided, I would go work. Either help out at the hospital, as I had often done as a child, when my mom came in to my room to find that I was wide awake, unable to sleep. She'd take me with me, and I'd get to help her all day. First, when I was younger, I'd get to do the less important things, like carry papers to Tsunade, or show people to their desired rooms. As the years progressed, and I became more capable, I'd been allowed to help out with minor cases, mostly kids with bleeding, self-inflicted gashes. Slowly, I began to help on the more advanced cases.

Now that I thought about it, though, I hadn't done any work at the hospital for almost a year. It was probably a good idea, and it would give me something to blow my mom's mind off of me not sleeping. Nothing suspicious going on there.

I'd have to make it look convincing, though.

So I sat up, ruffling my hair until it was even messier than before. I kept my eyes wide, giving them the slightest of weary touches along the rim. I laid back down, staring up at the ceiling, and waited.

Finally, just as my eyelids were beginning to grow heavy again, and just as I was starting to fear unconsciousness, I heard someone going down the stairs, and then a series of clinking noises. I gave it a few seconds for the sake of staying conspicuous, and then I got up, trudging down to the kitchen.

Mom's back was turned when I entered the kitchen. She was rummaging around in the cupboard above the sink, her hair a frantic bubble gum mess.

Keeping my footsteps soft, I walked over and leaned against the counter beside her, and she all but freaked. I managed to catch the fallen cup before it shattered on the counter, and, in one lithe movement, I had it back in the cupboard. She gave me a critical look, and I tilted my head to one side, smiling nervously.

She smiled back, rolling her eyes. "You're up early."

Immediately, I was flooded with memories of my childhood. I'd stood like this before, beside her, a sheepish grin on my face. But I remembered them a different way, this time. The memories weren't my own, I knew now. They were altered by some woman that my parents had paid off… "Yeah. Couldn't sleep," I whispered, staring at the counter, unseeing.

"Hmmm…" She went about making herself a cup of coffee, and I poured myself a cup, pouring in two teaspoons of sugar, which was, due to my low tolerance of sweats, extraordinarily out of character for me, when she wasn't looking.

We took our seats at the table silently, and I thought about how it must have been for me when I was younger, when, (even though I didn't remember it _now_), my dad was still asleep upstairs. Then I decided that it was probably just _normal_. Before my mind was sucked empty of my memories, when I didn't even _know_ that he was going to leave, when I must have thought that my life was perfect… Him being here had just been normal.

"So… I was wondering…" I started, remembering that I hadn't asked this question since I was little, before I knew anything about the Akatsuki. "Can I tag along with you this morning?"

She seemed thrilled. Then again, I suppose most parents do when they're reminded of their children being younger. Either happy or weepy-eyed, and I was glad for the first. "Of course, honey," she said, sipping from her coffee.

I took a gulp from my own, turning my head and biting my tongue to stop myself from gagging. Too sweet. Blegh.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Hot," I lied. She seemed content with my answer, and it gave me an excuse to get up and pour myself a glass of water, which I took a gulp from after every sip of coffee.

After I was done with my coffee, I still wasn't wide awake. But I put my dishes in the sink and darted back up the stairs, creeping past the closed door to my parents' bedroom silently, and then pushing my door closed behind me. I ditched my pajamas and slipped into my normal outfit, which consisted of a not-too-short-not-too-long black skort, and fishnet leg warmers, and a dark gray tank top over a short-sleeved fishnet shirt. I avoided puling my hair up in pigtails, which I did frequently, because it looked good on me, so it wouldn't be too nostalgic on my mom. Though I didn't think she would do it, I didn't want to chance an awkward parent-child growing-up-too-fast talk. I grabbed my ninja pouch, strapped it onto my thigh, and pulled my hair into a high ponytail. I headed down the stairs, and she was already ready to go.

As far as mornings at the hospital went, it was relatively slow. I spent a good half hour in the lobby, uninterestedly flipping through a pile of magazines, fighting back the fatigue. We had a few patients, mostly, as they usually were, minor injuries. A deep gash on a little girl's shoulder, an elderly man with a high fever… Nothing major at all.

When noon rolled around, mom and I were sitting in the lobby again, snacking from a plate of fruit on the table in front of us. I popped a slice of apple into my mouth, glanced at the clock, and hopped up. "All right, I gotta go meet dad. Bye!" I was surprised at how much easier it was to say that aloud after that one talk before we'd returned to the village.

She smiled more warmly than I'd seen her do in a long time, and I was relieved. "Bye honey, good luck."

I waved over my shoulder and dashed into the street.

The training with my father progressed a little better than the previous day. I managed to almost perfect the fireball jutsu, and then we had to skip to speed, which, luckily, I was pretty good in, anyway. So it was easy enough. We managed a few minutes in accuracy, which also went fairly well, and then it was time for me to meet with my squad again.

We continued with the walk on water technique, and it was just a little easier than the previous day, though my exhaustion didn't help much. By the end of the two hours, I could completely cross the narrow stretch of water and return without breaking stride.

That night, I crashed as soon as I hit the pillow, and made a big deal before then about all the training that was going on. If the Akatsuki reappeared again, I decided, I'd already by twice as skilled as I was just days ago.


	30. Announcements

**Thoughts, Chapter 29**

**Three days passed, and all I could think about was the meeting this upcoming Saturday. By Tuesday, we'd began to spread the word of our secret organization, in an attempt to gather new recruits. So far, our members were: Me, Kiyoshi, Takeshi, Toshi, and, the only one we'd gathered since then, Minoshi- and even then, we'd had to beg and plead, and he'd still only joined grudgingly. Needless to say, he was the least enthusiastic about it all. **

**The training, both with my dad and my squad, grew gradually easier, until I could finally walk steadily over a long stretch of churning water, and use at least two other fire-style jutsus, both branching off of the fireball jutsu.**

**Thoughts of the meeting with Kira, though, constantly inhabited my mind, making it harder to focus. **

**On Wednesday morning, I decided that I needed a distraction.**

**I'd never really been superstitious. Pessimistic, at times, often looking at things from a negative perspective. But I never would have believed that the expression **_**be careful what you wish**_** for could be so true. Guess I'd have to learn the hard way.**

**The announcement came late Tuesday afternoon, immediately after Koshibana-sensei had left us. Minoshi, Kiyoshi and I were sitting by the stream in the forest outside of the village, resting in the shade of a thatch of towering oak trees. I was lying out on the grass, my arms folded behind my head, allowing the rays of sunlight that peeked through the thick branches above to wash over me, warming my cheeks, my neck, my arms, my ankles. **

**Kiyoshi was sitting a few feet away from me, staring off into the distance, and Minoshi was just… well, being Minoshi. Translation: Pretty much just gazing absently down at the ground, lost in his own emo little world. **

**Totally content, I let out a happy sigh and closed my eyes. I only had a few seconds to rest, though, before I became aware of a fourth presence.**

**My eyes fluttered open, and I sat up, alert. Kiyoshi and Minoshi's heads both snapped up, and we all stared at the newcomer intently. **

**The black cloak, and the red and white neko-like mask made it clear instantly that it was one of the Konoha ANBU. I could almost feel their eyes, staring out from behind the plastic black eyes of the mask… I wondered if I was the only one noticing the tension in the air.**

"**What's going on?" Minoshi was the first one to speak, and his lack of interest was plain in his voice.**

"**The Hokage has requested that everyone meet in the center of the village- there are announcements."**

**I blinked. "What, now?"**

"**Yes. Now hurry."**

**It was a man's voice, but the tone was unfathomable. Before I could figure out what to expect, he was gone. My knees shaking slightly, I stumbled to my feet, as did the others.**

"**Wonder what this is about," Kiyoshi said. **

**Minoshi walked between us, shrugging. "You're not going to find out just standing here."**

**And then he was gone, and we were chasing after him, all caught up in our own troubled thoughts. Since he'd been made Hokage, I couldn't recall Naruto ever having to make any **_**announcements**_**, and even if he had, they were nothing this big- nothing that involved everyone's attendance. **

**When we reached the village, people were making their way through the streets, swarming through the roads and buzzing with anxious conversation. The three of us darted along the rooftop, as many others were doing, until we reached the heart of the village, where the crowd was the largest. **

**Minoshi disappeared without a word, and Kiyoshi, spotting his family, gave me a worried glance before running off. I ducked through the throngs of people, until I found my parents, almost at the very front. **

"**What's going on?" I asked, appearing beside my father, my eyebrows pulling together. **

**He looked down at me, and I could tell that he was upset. "Hold on; you're about to find out."**

**I gulped, covering my mouth as I peered around at the crowd. Immediately, I was filled with an uncomfortable wave of claustrophobia, and I squinted my eyes closed. My hands moved up to massage my temples fervently. **

**And then the announcements started. **

**Naruto, much to my surprise, was as formal as one might imagine the Hokage to be. At first, he didn't seem troubled. Obviously, there was good news, too. As the introduction began (basically he explained **_**why**_** he'd gathered anyone. He started halfheartedly on the good news, but I was hardly paying attention. Besides him, everyone was silent.**

**I heard something about the previous delay, and then two words that echoed through my ears. **

_**Chuunin Exams**_

**Even though I was almost fifteen now, and Kiyoshi and Minoshi were about fifteen and a half, none of us had taken the exams yet. Probably due to all of the commotion with the Akatsuki going on.**

**I felt my body grow rigid, and then, as the crowd began to murmur, I turned my head, burying my face in my father's arm as the claustrophobia struck again.**

"**You ok?" he asked, his voice barely audible over the hum of the audience. **

**Weakly, I nodded. "Mmmhmm. Give me a second, it'll pass."**

**And it did pass, just as soon as Naruto started speaking again, and the droning murmurs ceased. Judging by the now serious tone in Naruto's voice, it was time for the bad news.**

**Still dizzy, I kept my eyes closed, barely able to draw away from my dad and stare straight ahead of me nauseously. There was a dull ringing in my ears, and I was having trouble following the conversation. My eyes scanned the crowd. **

**Kiyoshi was standing a few yards away, staring at the Hokage intently; Hinata, Kohana and Atsuhiro were standing right beside Naruto… And a head of light, wispy curls told me that Suzume was standing a few inches away from me. She wasn't aware of my existence, so I took the chance to glance at her.**

**After the building collapsed, she'd spent as much time in a hospital bed as I had, and even on our way back to Konoha, I hadn't spoken to her. She'd just trudged along with the crowd, a solemn expression on her face.**

**Even now, she stared straight ahead, her eyes oddly cold and distant, her lips set in a straight line and her jaw rigid. It **_**almost**_** looked like she was about to cry.**

**Abruptly, I heard a few names being called, and noticed that Naruto was reading them off of a scroll. A list of the deaths from the last few months, I realized with another roll of nausea. **

"**Fukito Ariwara, Suzuchi Itomoru…" **

**I heard a couple of muffled sobs from somewhere in the crowd. **

"**Yamaguchi Mitsuishi, Yamaguchi Watari, Yamaguchi Fujita, Yamaguchi Sayuri…."**

**A loud gasp tore from someone's throat, and I realized with a start that it was **_**mine**_**. Eyes wide in their sockets, I ignored my parents curious glances, and whirled around to face Suzume. **

**Mitsuishi, her father, Sayuri, her mother, Watari and Fujita, her little brother and older sister… All of them. **

**Her head was bowed, her arms folded across her chest and her bangs forming a curtain around her eyes.**

"**Sae, what's-"**

**Before my mom could finish her whispered question, Naruto started speaking again. I glanced around, then back at the place where Suzume had been standing. She wasn't there. **

"**Sorry," I whispered back, turning. "I have to go find Suzume."**

**Before they could protest, I pushed my way to the back of the crowd, then looked around desperately. Her **_**whole**_** family, dead. How long had she known about this?**

"**Sae, what are you doing?" **

**Kiyoshi's panicked query came from behind me. Shocked, I turned around to face him.**

"**Didn't you hear that?" I hissed.**

**Somberly, he nodded. "About the Yamaguchis? Yeah. But, why are **_**you**_** so worked up about it? I mean, isn't Suzume your worst enemy or something like that?"**

**All at once, he grew silent, and my eyes narrowed into angry slits. He took a step backwards, alarmed. **

"**I didn't mean anything by it- I just thought that-"**

**Before he could finish, I turned on my heels and stormed off, calling over my shoulder, "She's my **_**rival**_**, Kiyoshi, not my enemy."**


	31. Chapter 31

**Ok, so, for any of you who have been following the storyline of my Naruto fanfic, **_**Thoughts of a Broken Family**_**, I'm in need of help.**

See, other than the first 44 episodes of shippuden, and all of the episodes that have been out in English, on Cartoon Network, I haven't seen anything about the Akatsuki. I'm in need of help, because I don't know how the Akatsuki would go about with their business now. At the moment, they want Sae (and Sakura and Sasuke, I suppose) dead.

I don't know what they would do. Hide out for a while, or go ahead and make plans for the deaths of the Uchihas... I suppose that either way could work, but I'm asking your opinions here.

Suggestions, ideas, and feeback for Thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I'll update as SOON as I get a good idea, which, hopefully, you'll all help with.

And yes, if I use your idea, you will get credit.

Thanks,  
BleedingSaro


	32. Temporary Truce

After my brief conversation (if you can call three sentences a conversation), I ran off into the forest again, not sure at all where to look. My mind was racing, a torrent of thoughts slapping off of my skull like waves. All those people, dead. Suzume's whole family, dead. And all of those people left alone, their families and loved ones taken away from them for no reason….

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.

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NOTE: Sorry about the wait, people. I'm still trying to think of what the Akatsuki are going to do. I'm open to suggestions, so please help.

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Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 30

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Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. 

It took me a moment to realize that I'd come to a stop. I was standing in the shade of a grove of blossoming cherry trees, their petals plucked from the branches by the wind, swept across the sky and floating on the cool breath of the springtime breeze before landing silently on the ground. A sharp pain in my hand caused me to look down, only to find that my fingers were clenched into angry fists, my fingernails clawing into the heel of my hand. I ran my fingers over the purplish half-moon marks absently my lips stretched into a tight line. Somewhere nearby, I could hear the roaring rampage of a waterfall, crashing into a deep pond far below. It was probably a pointless effort, I knew. After all, the only thing I knew about Suzume was that I couldn't stand her at times. And now one more thing: her whole family was dead.

That happened to a lot of people, I realized. People in villages that didn't even know what it i meant /i to be a ninja were killed, their lives taken away from them. But ninjas the most, it seemed. Almost every ninja had their own tragic story. For the first time in my life, I realized just how dangerous it was, being a ninja. Every day is a risk, every mission a threat to our wellbeing. Yet we take those chances, fight against the odds to protect and defend those who need us. We accept our missions without complaint, and carry them out as best as we can. We show as little fear as possible, for fear is a weakness in enemy eyes. As ninja, we are taking oaths. We will do our jobs and carry out or missions, fight for and defend the weak, serve those of higher ranks. Our lives have little meaning in the game of life. If we die, the world goes on. So we make the most of ourselves, giving ourselves reasons to live.

But, even though we do our jobs, even the best of us show fear occasionally. At least once, it's bound to happen to everyone. We fear _something._

I didn't fear for my life- I never had, and I probably never would. So my evil, sadistic uncle wants me dead and is probably plotting how to kill me (and a few others) right now. Big deal. If I die, it's only one person. I hoped that the world around me would go on- that those in the village won't mourn too much. I don't want to be forgotten, really, but if my memory would only bring pain, then I'd rather they never thought about me again.

Frowning, I started walking again, the cool breeze licking at my cheeks. I wondered if the meeting was over yet, and if there had been any more bad news. Hope not. I don't think I could have taken many more names.

Time passed confusingly as I weaved my way through the trees, the forest that I'd had memorized for ages now. The sky was beginning to bleed pink, the shadows of the forest growing longer, darker. I'd have to go back soon.

I was just turning to return to the village when I saw her. Sitting on a grassy bank by a rapid stream, Suzume's golden hair sparkled in the sunset. She was motionless, her legs hugged to her chest and her forehead pressed against her knees. Hesitantly, I took the necessary five steps to reach her, and sank silently to my knees a foot away. She tensed noticeably, and I could see her nails digging into her ankles.

"Suzume?"

She turned her head away, her cheek pressed against her knee. I thought I heard her sniffle. I wasn't sure what to say- 'I'm sorry' never did anything but make people angry. 'Are you OK?' would be the most idiotic question possible. I opened my mouth, then closed it again and exhaled through my nose.

"Go away," she mumbled, breaking the awkward silence.

I frowned. "Listen, I-"

"Look, Saeko. It's obviously not the right time. I don't need a fight right now, all right?" Translation: I'm already down, don't kick me.

"I'm not here for a fight." My voice came out in a soft whisper, and my lips stretched into a tight line again. I watched her intently, but her face was still turned away.

She let out an angry huff, and her head snapped around so that she was glaring at me, her eyes narrowed into vicious slits. "Then what _are_ you here for?"

Once again, I opened my mouth to say something, then pressed my lips together, considering. "I guess… I was just checking up on you." The words, so 'sincere', normally would have burned my throat on the way out, but this time, instead of gagging, I stared down at my hands, waiting to see what she said.

"What? Why?"

"Because you probably didn't need to be alone."

"Oh, I get it. You think I'll be all suicidal, right?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "It's just not… good. Being alone in such difficult times." I never tore my eyes away from the grass. It was true- solitude didn't go well with pain. I'd learned the hard way, as she was doing.

She didn't respond for a moment, and, when I finally looked up, she was staring out across the stream, her jaw set. "Why _you_?"

I snorted, despite myself. "Remember what I just told you? _Nobody_ should be alone. Not even you."

"Hah. Even if I have to be in the company of someone like _you_?" she fired back, and I rolled my eyes.

We fell into another lull of silence, though this one wasn't quite as awkward. I could tell that we were both lost in our own thoughts. The sky was growing darker rapidly now, currently a shade of lavender, topped by an upside down sea of navy blue.

A sudden stifled noise caused me to look up, and, in the light of the setting sun, the tears rolling down her cheeks sparkled. I sighed, then looked away. Suzume was all alone now, other than her squad. And I was pretty sure they weren't the best friends ever. They weren't really _friends_ from what I'd seen, anyway. Just acquaintances who behaved because they were afraid of her. Did she have anyone to comfort her? Anyone to help her get through this.

"You don't have to stay here, you know," Suzume said, running the back of her hand over her eyes. "I'm fine."

But her voice was shaky, and she was trembling, and the tears were still coming, and she was definitely not fine.

"I know I don't have to. I'm going to."

"I really wouldn't have expected you to come," she admitted, and her tone made it seem like she was going to add: _I didn't think anyone would come_.

I frowned, then leaned back on my palms to stare up at the sky. "What happened to your family was horrible. But it's bad for you, too. And I know that it's bothering you, so don't bother trying to deny it."

She didn't respond, so I went on.

"And it probably _will_ bother you for a long time." Gah, I was soft. Too, too soft. "So, what I'm saying is…" Gag-time started, and I looked away, inhaling and closing my eyes.

Suzume waited patiently, and I could feel her eyes on the back of my head.

I sighed. "And this is really hard for me to say, so savor it while you can-"

"I'll go get my tape recorded," she said, and I could hear her rolling her eyes in the sardonic tone of her voice.

"So… If you're interested, that is, I'm offering a temporary truce. You know, in case you need someone there for you, after what happened…."

I turned to look at her, perplexed. She stared back dubiously, trying to absorb what I had just said. When she did, she hesitated for a moment, and I could tell that she was trying to decide between laughing, scoffing, and some other third option.

She chuckled, then turned away to stare straight ahead- I watched her shoulders quiver with her one wry laugh. "Actually, a temporary truce would be nice. For now, anyway."

I smirked at myself, closing my eyes. "'Kay," I murmured, unwilling to take the chance at embarrassing myself by saying anything else.

"It's late. Shouldn't you be getting home?"

The sky was almost black now, illuminated by a sea of sparkling stars. The breeze had died down, but the air was getting cooler. Sighing, I nodded, then stumbled to my feet. "Are you going to go home?"

The question bothered her, and she didn't stand or look at me. But I could see the debate on her face, the argument between telling me and not telling me whatever was on her mind. "I'm not sure. I don't really want to- the house is kind of… depressing." Dark, depressing, lonely.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So, what are you going to do?"

"Not sure yet."

I let out a deep breath. "Well, if you're into sleepovers, our house is open."

She looked at me quizzically, trying to figure out if I was just teasing or being honest. When she saw that I meant it, she surprised me by grinning. "I've never had a sleepover."

"Me neither," I said. After all, growing up, all of my friends were boys. And that probably wouldn't have gone over so well with my mom. I laughed to myself at the thought. "So, interested?"

"Sure. Why not? I have to go by my place first, then I'll be right over."

I nodded. "Ok. Take your time- I'm a bit of a night owl."

So she stood and we made our way back to the village, separating at the front gates. When she disappeared, I ran off to myself, hoping that my invitation would be all right with my parents. Then again, I couldn't imagine them telling me no, for some strange reason.

They didn't have a problem with Suzume coming over, but my mom was thoroughly surprised when I said who I'd invited. I quickly explained the 'temporary truce', and she looked relieved as she gave permission. I sat up in the living room for a few minutes, but Suzume didn't keep me waiting long. Before I even realized what was on the TV, she knocked on the door, and I ran to get it.

I led her up to my bedroom, which, luckily, I had just cleaned a few days ago and wasn't that messy. She tossed her things to the ground, and I plopped down on my bed. The silence was excruciatingly awkward for a while, since we'd never really hung out before, and I debated just going to bed and leaving her to fend for herself. But, as I told her, I was a night owl, and wasn't quite ready to hit the sack. So I sat up at the head of my bed, staring out the window while she scanned through the contents of the bookshelf across the room. My mind was faraway as I stared intently at the half moon. Now that the newest news –both the good and the bad-, had settled in, I was back to thinking about the next upcoming meeting with Kane, and our slowly growing group of teenage rebels who snuck out past midnight to 'investigate' one of the most dangerous threats out there- the Akatsuki.

"What are you thinking about?" Suzume asked curiously, without looking up from the scroll she'd picked up, containing a short story that I'd scribbled out in sloppy calligraphy years ago.

I shrugged. "Nothing. Hey, did you ever sneak out of your house?" The words were out before I could stop them. I doubted it, though. Preppy as she was, I doubted Suzume would ever sneak out, losing valuable beauty sleep time and running the risk of getting her clothes dirty.

"Actually, yeah. When I used to argue with my parents, it got hard to be in the same house as them. So, after arguments, I crawled out my window and stayed outside until I'd cooled off." Her expression was distant, her mind elsewhere. I wondered how much it pained her to speak of them.

I was surprised at her reaction, but I giggled. "You too, eh?"

"I bet you sneak out quite frequently."

I shook my head. "Actually, I've only done it twice."

She blinked, and her expression became bewildered. "Really? Where'd you go?"

As she asked the question, I glanced at the door, beyond which I could sense no movement. It was really late now, so my parents were probably asleep. "Well, the first time, I just walked around because I wanted to see if I would get caught. And the second…" Another glance at the door, still nothing. "All right, quiet for a minute, and I'll tell you the story."


	33. Secretly Discovered

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.**

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NOTE: Ok, so, finally, I have the plot ALL filled out. Well, almost. There's only ONE tiny detail that I'm missing, but I'm calling GaaraCutie tonight for suggestions, cuz she's the reason I've gotten this far. 

**Oh, and, thank you to my continuous readers. I know I've kept you all waiting at times, and I've probably lost a few of you. If you're still there, would you please make yourself known? Let me know what you think of a chapter, comment on my chars, offer suggestions. Anything. Just, please**  
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Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 31

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Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.

Saturday night, and I'm sneaking out again, Suzume following close behind and sliding the screen precariously back into place. As the unfamiliar tingling of excitement tore through my body, I jumped from my windowsill, landing noiselessly far below, quiet as a cat. Suzume dropped down beside me, then straightened and brushed her hair out of her face, her fingers weaving through the golden locks and tucking them beneath her ears.

"Let's go," I said. And then we were off, darting through the streets, the wind sending our hair whipping at our faces, burning our eyes. But we're free, and breaking the rules, and its far too dark for people to see us, so we're fine. We were supposed to meet just outside of the village this time, at the stream where my squad learned the walk-on-water technique. The sound of the churning water will undoubtedly cover up our voices.

So, after jumping the east side of the wall surrounding the village, we sped through the trees. In the ultimate darkness, there was nothing to guide us but our own memory of the layout of the village, which, in my case and a few others, would be good enough to get us anywhere within a hundred mile radius. After that, though, towards the Waterfall village, Takeshi is the only one who has a clue where to go.

"You two are late. Again."

Minoshi's voice cut through the darkness when we reached the soggy banks of the stream. I rolled my eyes and pushed past him. Toshi, Minoshi, Kiyoshi, Suzume, Sashi, and even Koba were all here, our full party.

"Forgive me," I said dramatically. "I fell asleep for a while."

Kiyoshi laughed. "Then it's a good thing Suzume's in now- she can be your alarm clock." I shot him a dirty look, and he grew quiet instantly. I could still see the grin on his face. We all formed a circle, then, and I took a place between Kiyoshi and Suzume, who had dragged her teammates into this effortlessly. She'd probably held out the fingernail polish and said, _"Which one, boys? Or are you willing to come with me this Saturday night?_" And join the teenage rebellion who defies their parents' wishes.

Defying their parents' wishes. The guilt sank in again, but the excitement won over as we all sank to the ground. Toshi had become our declared spokesperson, and we watched him anxiously, all tittering to ourselves and trembling eagerly.

"Ok, so… There's been a minor change in plans for the night," Toshi began, then gestured to Takeshi. We all turned to him, waiting.

Takeshi sighed. "Apparently, they're having some kind of festival in Tsukimano tonight, and it's going to last for hours. So we can't meet Kira in the village."

"So… what are we going to _do_?" Kiyoshi asked, barely phased by the fact. Obviously, Takeshi had worked out some way around it, though, how he figured all this out within the few days since our last visit was beyond me.

"We're going to meet Kira a few miles North of Tsukimano. And, since there's a festival going on…" Takeshi's voice faded away.

Toshi finished for him. "We were thinking that we might send a few people into the village. Disguised, of course. For information that might be new tonight, that Kira hasn't heard yet."

Tsukimano, as I remembered it, was a really big village, and it would take a large number of us to even search half of it.

"Good idea," Sashi mumbled, but the tone of his voice implied that he wasn't happy at all. Probably just groggy, and mad that Suzume had forced him into this.

"So… We'll need guards here," I said. "A few to explore the village, and a couple to meet up with Kira."

Takeshi nodded, and I did a quick head count. Kobe, Sashi, Suzume, Kiyoshi, Minoshi, and me. Six. No, Toshi. Seven.

"Two guards here, two to meet with Kira, and three to scour the village," Toshi confirmed. "Now, let's assign roles."

We all shuffled anxiously. I would settle for anything but standing guard here. Toshi probably shouldn't be a guard again. Kiyoshi definitely wasn't going to willingly stay behind. Suzume, Kobe, and Sashi, though, I wasn't sure about.

"I can't go into Tsukimano," Takeshi said suddenly, and I squinted into the darkness to see his thoughtful expression as he stared down at the ground.

Kiyoshi blinked. "Why not?"

"Because my parents are there," Takeshi said, grimacing at nothing in particular. "And, of course, Kira's family."

Suddenly, I remembered something that Takeshi had said the last time we'd met with Kira, in the dark alley beside his house. _Don't let my parents know I was here_. So, he was all alone, too.

"But… why…" I started, but I was unable to finish.

"They decided that they were going to stay in Tsukimano," Takeshi answered the rest of my unspoken question. "After the Akatsuki attacked, they're holding this grudge against Konoha, like we _asked_ for this to happen."

"Then, why are you still here?" Suzume asked, speaking for the first time. I was startled- due to her unusual silence, I had almost forgotten that she was sitting right beside me.

Takeshi shrugged. "My parents might want to hate the village, but personally, there's nowhere else that I'd rather live. Anyway, we're wasting time we don't have. Now, I'm going to see Kira. Who's going where?"

It was decided. Sashi and Kobe, who were wide awake now (due to a very violent threat from Suzume that had made us all crack up), were going to stand guard here until we returned. Toshi was going to go with Takeshi to meet up with Kira, leaving me, Kiyoshi, and Suzume to roam around the village in disguise.

"'Kay, so, that's that." We all stood up, and I realized that my legs had fallen asleep, numb from the blood circulation. I swayed, and Kiyoshi discreetly grabbed me by the elbow to stop me from falling into the creek. "Let's head out."

Sashi and Kobe had run off already, sneaking away when none of us noticed. I really hoped they wouldn't slack off. For our sake, and theirs. Suzume would totally kill them.

I was just brushing a blade of grass from my shirt and preparing to go when my head swiveled around, my breath caught in my throat and my body rigid.

"What is it?" Suzume asked.

"Shhh," I hissed, and we all grew silent. I heard something, I was sure of it. Animal, Akatsuki, someone from the village… The third option, strangely, was the only possibility that had my heart pounding in my throat.

A few seconds passed, and I was sure that everyone should be able to hear the blood _swoosh_ing through my veins. Just as I thought I was about to let out a sigh of relief, someone stepped forward from the shadowy forest across the stream.

"Well, well, what have we here?"

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Suzume leaned back against a tree, breathing heavily, her hand pressed to her heart.

I breathed out deeply. It was Ayami staring at us now, her eyebrows arched in expectant curiosity and her arms folded across her chest. Her expression, though I could hardly see it in the dim light, was hard, her eyes flashing.

"Well?" Ayami prompted, starting towards us. Her eyes found mine, and she held my gaze, and I was too terrified to look away. I took a step backwards for every step she took, and then she stopped, tilting her head to one side.

"I… Umm… I just… That is, we, uh…. Oh-"

She bowed her head, sighing. "You five look like you're up to something that you shouldn't be doing."

I gulped. This was it. It was over before it even began. Any second now, when we didn't answer, she'd make up her mind, and we'd be forced to return to the village, dragged to our parents, who would be awaiting explanations that I wasn't sure we'd be able to give.

"Whatever it is, count me in." Ayami grinned, and it was an evil, wicked smile, her eyes flashing again, dangerous.

Confused, I blinked. I opened my mouth to say something, closed it again. There was nothing to say. Surely, I was hearing things. That, or this was some malicious trick. Maybe someone had seen us, and they'd sent her to find out what we were doing. Or maybe this wasn't Ayami at all. No, it was her. I could tell.

Kiyoshi was the first one to break the stunned silence. "You're… joking, right?"

Ayami turned to face him, releasing me from her death glare. Her eyebrows raised again, and she scrutinized Kiyoshi carefully for a moment. Then, so quickly that I wasn't sure I wasn't just seeing things, she glanced knowingly at me, then back at Kiyoshi once more. The feral grin appeared again. "Do I look like I'm joking, kid? Or is there a problem?"

All five of us exchanged glances. Suzume had calmed down now; she stood to my right again, watching in amusement. "Let her, Sae. The more the merrier, right?"

I cast her a sideways glare, then turned back to Ayami, who was still staring expectantly at each of us in turn. This was it- I could stall no longer. I'd have to tell her now, and hope that she wasn't going to turn us in. "Fine. We'll explain. _But…"_

Everyone waited, surprised that I was being so bold.

"Yes?" Ayami pressed.

"We'll _only_ tell you if you come with us now. We'll explain on the way."

She tilted her head to the side again, her expression fluctuating between amused and unimpressed. Finally, she spoke again, and her tone was calm. "All right, let's go." 

**TimeSkip**

Ayami watched in amazement as we told her our story, but I stared straight ahead as we ran through the trees, afraid to meet her gaze.

"So, now, we're going to meet up with Kira in Tsukimano," Takeshi finished. "And Sae, Kiyoshi, and Suzume are going to check out the village."

Ayami closed her eyes, moving without her sense of sight, considering everything. I wondered what she must be thinking, because a thousand different emotions flitted across her face in the seconds that passed, seeming more like endless minutes. Eventually, her eyebrows knitted together in frustration, and my heart stopped beating. She was going to tell. "You kids are all idiots. This is stupid. You do know that, right? You understand how risky it is?"

Weakly, I nodded, my heart beating again, but sinking in my chest rapidly. "Yes. We know."

She sighed, then shook her head. "What am I gonna _do _with you?" she asked, letting out a sigh that told me her anger was over. She was not going to tell our parents. "How many of you are in on this?"

"Just us and two others. And now you, I suppose?" Takeshi asked.

Ayami laughed darkly. "Yes, now me, too. You do understand that the information would reach Konoha eventually, right?"

"Yeah, _eventually_," I mumbled.

I started to say more, but Suzume cut me off. "Actually, not necessarily. If, oh, let's see, the Hidden Mist Village hears that the Akatsuki are going to come and raid their houses and kill their people, I highly doubt that sending a message to Konoha is going to be on their list of priorities."

Ayami stared at Suzume in awe, shocked at the younger girl's pronounced audacity. Then she smirked. "You're right. Messages won't do. They might, however, come running to us for shelter, and then we'll know."

"If they don't get killed on the way here," Takeshi said. Suddenly, Suzume bowed her head, and I realized that that must have been how some –if not all- of her family died.

"Oh, Suzume…."

We all stopped then, and turned to look at Suzume, who turned her head to stare out through the trees, her expression a serene mask.

"Oh, crap. I'm sorry," Takeshi apologized quickly, uncertain. "Really, I am. I didn't know-"

"It's fine," Suzume mumbled. "Let's go. We don't have all night."

She was the first one running, and we were the ones stumbling all over ourselves to keep her in sight. Hopefully, she was all right. We didn't need her to be depressed all night. Suddenly, I sensed someone other than Kiyoshi on my left, and I glanced up to see Ayami, who was staring straight ahead, still trying to absorb the information we'd given her. Kiyoshi glanced in my direction, and I gave him a sheepish grin. He shrugged, but didn't make any moves to retreat to the now-open space on my right.

We'd been traveling for what felt like days when Takeshi hopped down from the branches, landing in a small clearing. We all followed suit, and I shook my head. My vision was becoming blurry again, and I was struggling to fight back a yawn. We hadn't spoken anymore for the rest of the trip, and the continuous effort of striving on in the awkward silence had been exhausting. Somewhere to my right, I could hear the distant sound of laughter, loud music, a buzz of conversation. We'd be lucky if we could understand anything.

"Ok, so, where will you go?" Suzume asked, and she was calm again, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Actually, I think I'll go with you three. I'm in the mood for a little festival food."

I nodded, and we turned to face Takeshi, who looked around. When he spoke again, his voice was a low whisper. "Kira will be here soon. You four go on into the village. Meet back here in an hour."

We nodded, and then we were off, leaving Toshi and Takeshi behind us.

"By the way," Ayami said casually, as we darted towards the festive sounds. "You might want to be more careful next time. Stick to the back streets- half asleep or not, anyone could have seen you."

And with that, she sped up, leaving me to gape after her in terror.


	34. Undercover

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.  
**  
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**NOTE: Thanks to thefourthhoakge for ideas. :D****  
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Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 32

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Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. 

"Ugh. We'll be lucky if we get through this one road in an hour, let alone the whole village," Ayami huffed. She was right. It wasn't due to the size of the place, either. Just the amount of people in the streets, the thickness of the throngs that stretched from sidewalk to sidewalk. A claustrophobic nausea prickled somewhere in the bottom of my stomach, and I shuddered.

"Let's just do what we can, and hurry." I didn't like my disguise. I'd used the transformation jutsu to imitate some girl I'd seen through a window when we first entered town. Flowery red and pink kimono, brown hair in curly pigtails all the way to my knees. She had to be about my age, so why the childish costume?

Suzume laughed. "What's the matter, pigtails?"

I glared at her, clenching my too-smooth fists. This girl, whoever she was, definitely wasn't a ninja. "Shuddup."

"Oh, Kimiko! I didn't think you'd be out here tonight!"

It took me a minute to realize that the man now standing before us, dressed formally, was staring at me. Speaking to me. I blinked, and felt Ayami tense beside me in her borrowed body- that of a woman that had to be about 20 years old.

"Are you feeling better?" The man asked, giving me a heart smile.

"Oh, yes, I'm feeling a little better." My voice was still mine, despite the jutsu, I noticed in dismay. He seemed to notice, too.

"You still sound hoarse. Perhaps you should come to the restaurant, and I'm get Himi to make you something warm. No one should be at their house tonight."

I wanted to panic, cast a frantic glance at Ayami or Suzume, but I managed to restrain myself, my nails digging even deeper into my palms. What was I supposed to do?! This Kimiko person might not even know this man. Then again, if he tried to stalk me or something, I supposed I could easily get out of it…. And I wouldn't be alone. Or so I thought.

"Oh, and, Tachi." The man turned to look at Suzume, who was disguised as someone who basically just looked like she normally did.

"Yes?" Suzume asked calmly.

The man frowned. "Tsukiko was looking for you. You're really late for your shift. Why aren't you there?"

She pulled a blank, and for a moment, we were all three at a loss. When it seemed like he was going to grow suspicious, I blurted out the first thing I thought of. "Oh, umm… Tachi hit her head earlier. She's a little dizzy still, confused." I coughed for good measure.

'Tachi' glared at me. The man looked between the three of us, and I could see in his eyes that these three people we were impersonating probably didn't hang out together often. His eyebrows pulled together, and finally, he spoke. "Ah. Very well, then. I shall pass on the information. I do wonder why your father didn't mention it, though. Oh, well. Come along, then, Kimiko."

He turned and began to walk away, and I looked over my shoulder helplessly.

"Want me to come with you?" Ayami asked, but her expression, along with common knowledge, told me that that would be a bad idea.

"No. You go on ahead. Have fun."

"Be careful."

"Good luck."

"Thanks," I said, then ran to catch up with the man, unsure of what might be coming my way. Whatever it was, it would be over in an hour.

**TimeSkip**

The restaurant that the man led to me was, like all of the others in the village, packed full and noisy enough to give me a migraine as soon as I stepped through the door. The feeling of claustrophobia struck again, but I fought it back and followed him across the room to a bar, which he disappeared behind, leaving me to sit at one of the high stools. It turned out he was the owner, a man named Raiko Tutsimi. He sent a woman who I assumed to be the 'Himi' he had spoken of earlier out with a cup of hot chocolate, which I took eagerly.

I thought back to just a few years ago, when I'd spent the night of Christmas Eve on my own, until Kiyoshi came to find me. I hadn't known about anything then- my father, the Akatsuki, none of it. I was all alone.

With a halfhearted smile to myself, I thought about how much better things were, despite the Akatsuki. How happier my mom was. How happy I was.

And then, on the not-so-good side, I thought about how upset they would be if they knew I was here right now. Mine and Suzume's clones were 'asleep' in my bedroom right now, but I was miles away, sipping hot chocolate in a village I definitely shouldn't be at right now.

And _then,_ the worst thought of all sank in, causing me to stop dead in my tracks. If my dad found out, would he leave again? The cup shook in my hands, and I swallowed.

No, surely he wouldn't. Not again. He'd only left the first time to keep us safe. And I wasn't doing anything unsafe. I was just investigating.

Oh, yeah? And if I got killed in the forest on the way back to the village by the Akatsuki. Safe indeed. Note the sarcasm.

He wouldn't find out, I swore to myself then and there. Not ever. I'd keep doing this, because I was too proud and too stubborn and too interested to back out, but I absolutely would not get caught.

"I really hope you're remembering your mission."

Ayami's calm voice in my ears caused me to jump, and spill a blotch of hot chocolate on myself. I yelped in pain and whirled around to face her.

"Oh, dear, are you all right? Here, let me help you."

I held out my arm, and Himi dabbed at the wet fabric absentmindedly, a fond expression on her face. The burn wasn't bad- nothing she'd have to ever bring up with the real Kimiko ever again. I wouldn't give her anything to talk about to the real Kimiko, either.

When Himi turned away, I turned to glare at Ayami's grown up transformation. "I am," I hissed, but I really wasn't. "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "Nothing. I found out about my hostess. She's 21, and her name is Raelle. She works the night shift in a half hour where Suzume went, but we'll be long gone by then."

"Really? How long have we been here?"

"Forty minutes. Now, I have to go find something else out. Twenty minutes- no more spacing out."

And then she was gone, as abruptly as she seemed to have come. I sighed, and went back to the mug that Himi had refilled for me. I tried to look around and listen at the same time, instead of staring too intently at my hot chocolate. The excuse of still being a little sick kept Himi and Raiko from trying to converse with me, and the large crowd helped to keep them busy. It didn't do much for my ears, though.

Blah, blah, blah.

My eyes scanned the room at sideways glances, until, at last, I caught sight of two men sitting in a booth at a dark corner, deep in conversation. Both were tall and lanky, one with slick black hair, and the other one with little patches of graying hair and a receding hairline. The older one seemed to have an air of authority about him, and I could sense tension in the corner from across the room. I closed my eyes and sipped, listening as clearly as I could.

"-Know they're not the best of friends," the old man was saying. Blah, blah, blah from all around me. "Feel bad doing this to them."

"Don't," the younger man. "-Think about it like that…. Not betraying them… Doing what we have to do."

The older man nodded and glanced at me, and I turned back to my drink like I hadn't been watching him.

Blah, blah, blah.

"Why do they want them, though?"

"…Don't… It's a decoy to lure-" he named something, but I couldn't here it. The last thing I heard was _in_, and then the younger man spoke gruffly.

He sighed. "I see…."

Who was doing what to whom? Not betraying…. Lure something (or someone) in. Then the conversation around me got louder as a party of eight came in, laughing like hyenas. Too noisy for me to hear anymore. I glanced at the clock. Five minutes.

I stood up, pushing my mug away.

"You leaving?" Himi asked.

"Yeah. Not feeling good. Need to go lie down."

She frowned, the same fondness in her eyes. "Ok, sweetie. Get better soon. I'll see you when I get home."

The words registered, and I left quickly, still pondering over the men's conversation. It was something serious, but I doubted it had anything to do with the Akatsuki. No need to tell the others until I found out. I wanted to figure it out first.

We met up in the clearing, and I arrived just in time to see Kira slip into the forest. "So… How'd it go?" Takeshi asked on the way back.

"I didn't hear _anything_," Suzume whined, now in her own voice and body.

I nodded. "Same here…. It was too noisy."

"I heard that they weren't that far away," Ayami said. "But I don't know if my sources were… reliable." Gossipers, no doubt. Gossipy old women who lived in their houses knitting and talking to cats.

Toshi nodded. "No, apparently, they are a few hours away. From what I've heard, one of them was spotted. Not here, but close."

I felt bad for not telling them, honestly I did. But surely, it was nothing important. I didn't say anything else on the way back.


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.**

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

NOTE: Thanks to thefourthhoakge for ideas.  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 32

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins. 

"You look dead on your feet, Sae."

His voice came from far away; muffled, like I had my head submerged in a bowl of water. I shook my head and snapped back into reality. "I'm fine," I lied. "Just didn't sleep too well last night.

He watched me for a moment, scrutinizing. The look on his face made me fear that we might have been discovered. But then he spoke again, and everything wall all right once more.

"Sure you want to continue?"

I nodded, fighting against a yawn. "Yeah. I'm sure."

"Oh, and one more thing," he added.

I froze, waiting. His expression was a strange one that I couldn't quite comprehend, a faraway look in his eyes and uncertainty on his face. He was debating whether or not to bring something up.

"This time, I don't want you to use your sharingan."

"What? Why not!?" I whined- now that I'd gotten so used to it, I felt obligated to use it all the time.

He shrugged. "You don't want to rely on it so much. It's fine to use it when necessary, but don't overdo it." This bothered me. As much as I'd researched the sharingan since…. Well, since he came back, I'd never heard anything about relying on it being bad.

For my own sake, I decided to let it go. "Fine," I sighed.

b Timeskip /b 

I trudged back home wearily, barely able to drag myself into the kitchen. Our squad wasn't meeting today, so I had the afternoon all to myself. I couldn't stay here, though. My bed (and even the couch, for that matter), would be too tempting. And if my parents came home to find me passed out, they'd think that something was up.

So I grabbed a quick snack, wolfed it down, and ran out the door. The warmth exuding from the pale sun far above me caressed my cheeks soothingly, making my eyelids droop. We'd gotten home with only minutes to spare this time, but Suzume and I had been silent on our way in. I was sure that we'd gone unnoticed.

I weaved through the streets until I found Kiyoshi walking along a side road. Grinning, I appeared in front of him and began walking backwards beside him.

"Hey, how'd it go?" He grinned back. He didn't seem tired at all.

I sighed. "Not good. I was half asleep through the whole thing." And slow, and groggy, and utterly incoherent. "And I couldn't use my sharingan, either," I added, pouting.

He blinked, and we turned back into the sunlight. I continued walking backwards, and several people veered away from my path cautiously because I wasn't paying attention.

"Really? Why?"

"Because, I was relying on it too much," I admitted with a sigh. "Oh, well. Where are you heading?"

"Nowhere in particular."

"Hmmm… Mind if I tag along."

He rolled his eyes. "Do you even have to ask?"

I took it as a 'sure, come along', and I followed him, walking forward now. We ended up at Ijiri's, eating a quick lunch which I was oblivious to. My thoughts were wild. What could those men have been talking about? Who weren't the best of friends?

"Something wrong?" Kiyoshi asked from far away.

It took me a minute to reply, and even then, my voice was nothing more than a weak murmur. "Yes. There's something I need to talk to you about."

Worry flashed across his face, his eyes darkening as his eyebrows pulled together. I laughed wryly.

"Don't worry, it's not about us or anything."

"Oh. Ok, then, let's talk."

But I shook my head. "No. Not here. It's a… private issue."

Realization replaced the worry, and he quickly paid for our food before leading me outside. We walking in silence for a few minutes, until we reached a secluded back road. I leaned against a brick wall, hands folded behind my back as I stared unseeingly at the ground.

He waited for me to speak.

I didn't.

"Sae," he prompted politely, calm.

I sighed. "Listen, I…. In Tsukimano last night… I heard something."

"About the Akatsuki?"

I cringed, because we didn't speak of the Akatsuki in the village. "I'm not sure." I quickly told him what I'd heard, and how important the man seemed. He kept his expression calm, collected. When I was done, he inhaled deeply.

"I see…" He let it sink in for another moment, and I felt horrible for not telling any of them sooner.

He surprised me by giving me a comforting, lopsided grin that, despite the gloomy mood, made my heart do flips. "I don't think it has anything to do with us. Don't worry about it, ok?"

I nodded. "Ok. Umm… So, I'm gonna go home now. See you later?"

"Yeah, later."

That night, Suzume stayed at her own house. I sat in front of my mirror for a long while, angling my face this way and that. I looked… unhappy, though I didn't know why. Probably because of the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that I just couldn't seem to shake.

Sighing, I fell backwards onto my bed and melted onto my mattress, sinking almost immediately into the dark depths of a restless unconsciousness.

The next thing I was aware of was a rapid, frantic, but almost inaudible continuous tapping noise. I opened my eyes and found myself staring at my dark ceiling. The tapping stopped for a moment, and I thought it must have just been a dream. But there it was against, closer, louder, closer… I darted to my window in the darkness and threw aside the curtains.

"Ayami? What's going on?" I demanded. She stared at me, glance at my closed door, then jumped down into the alley. "Get your clone ready and come with me."

Confused, I obeyed and my clone curled up beneath the covers. Annoyed, I jumped down to the street and hissed, "What the big idea?"

She shushed me, and I realized that we weren't alone. Hikari was standing at the mouth of the alley, keeping watch.

"Kira's here. There's urgent news."

I clenched my fists. "What is it?"

"Don't know. We have to go get Suzume and go," Ayami said. I nodded, and then we were off, bolting along the rooftops like bats out of hell. What was happening? What could be so urgent that Kira would come here, so unexpectedly?

Suzume wasn't asleep when we got to her house, and she was coherent enough to follow without complaint as we made our way into the forest, panting for breath.

Sasuke, Kobe, Toshi, Kira, Takeshi, Minoshi, and Kiyoshi were waiting by the creek, and the atmosphere was way too thick. This is bad, I thought to myself. This is not good.

"Ok, we're all here," I stated. "Now, what's going on?"

Kira's face was grim, and ten pairs of eyes studied him anxiously in the dim light as he spoke. "The Akatsuki. They were sighted in the Hidden Mist yesterday."

We all tensed, our eyes growing wide. "What? What happened?" I asked, my voice shaking as badly as my hands.

"They spoke with the leaders of the village."

We waited, absorbing this.

"They…. i spoke /i with them?" Suzume finally managed to choke out, speaking for all of us. That didn't seem like an Akatsuki thing to do. "What about?"

Kira looked at each of us in turn, his mouth a bleak frown. "The mist are joining up with the Akatsuki."

I don't know who gasped the loudest, but we were all gaping at him dubiously, stunned. My tongue was like lead in my mouth, cold and hard and heavy.

"No…." Suzume shook her head. "You can't be serious! They couldn't have-"

"But they did," Takeshi cut her off gruffly.

I couldn't seem to recover. It felt like someone had punched me in the gut, knocking the sense and the breath out of me. "But… _why?" _ I managed to gasp eventually. "Why would they team up?"

Nobody even had to speak the answer. The foreboding sense made my stomach lurch, and I brought a trembling hand to my mouth. No, this definitely wasn't good at all.

"So, have they made any plans?" Hikari asked. Ayami must have invited her and filled her in on everything after we got back.

Kira shook his head. "There's no way to know now. I'm getting a group together to go and check things out." He paused for a short moment. "We'll get back as soon as possible. If we don't get back within a week, then you'll know that something has gone wrong."

"I'm going, too," Takeshi said.

"Count me in," Kiyoshi grinned, and I glared at him.

"Me, too." Ayami.

"Sure." Hikari.

Suzume said. "We're in." Speaking for her whole squad, who didn't complain.

Toshi shrugged.

"Well, I i guess /i you guys can come…."

"NO!" I screamed, so loudly that we all flinched. "Nothing dangerous, you guys."

"Sae, it's not dangerous. We've got a large group. You'll be fine." Kiyoshi took a step forward.

"It's not i me /i that I'm worried about," I sneered.

"Listen, Sae, clam down. You're gonna blow our cover." Ayami was whispering. "Calm down," she repeated pleadingly. I was shaking, fuming.

"Come on, Sae, it'll be fun."

"Please, Sae?"

Sae, Sae, Sae.

"Fun when we all get killed?" I demanded. But it was tempting. Oh, so tempting. How I'd love to go and pay my sadistic uncle an unexpected visit…. No. Be reasonable. No, let's go. "But… how would we explain being gone?" I tried to turn the odds against us.

"We'll think of something," Toshi said, as it if were already decided.

"Yeah, no worries," Kiyoshi assured me."

I stared into his eyes. "But… I promised," I whispered, and he grabbed both of my hands. Someone made a gagging sound, and someone laughed. Then it was tense.

"Someone's coming," Hikari announced.

Kira vanished before Hikari's words registered in my mind. I gasped as another presense made itself known.

"What's going on here?"

"Dad!" Ayami gasped.

Kakashi appeared from the trees, Pakkun at his side. I froze, and subconsciously squeezed Kiyoshi's hands. I was terrified, unable to bring myself to let go. He squeezed back, and I closed my eyes. We were done for.

"What are you kids doing?" Kakashi demanded again, calmly.

"We're just… hanging out?" Toshi said innocently.

It was clear that Kakashi didn't believe us.

Ayami sighed in mock defeat. "Ok, so… We were cheating."

"Cheating?" Kakashi echoed?"

Catching on to the charade like a dying mad to a life rope, I nodded. "Yeah. She was telling us about the Chuunin exams."

Kiyoshi nodded.

"And what is she telling you that involved holding hands?" Kakashi pondered innocently. I blushed and let go of Kiyoshi's hands, folding my arms across my chest.

"I was actually explaining the Forest of Death to them," Ayami admitted.

Kakashi sighed. "You shouldn't do that. You could get in trouble for it."

"Sorry."

"Back to bed now, i all /i of you."

Takeshi's face fell, and I bowed my head. Kakashi began walking, and we were powerless to do anything but follow and await our inevitable demise- a.k.a. the parents. I grimaced, and kept my head bowed as we ran.

Kakashi stopped and turned around to face us when we reached the gates, and I shrank back, not wanting him to see the expression on my face in fear that it might give something away.

"Do me a favor, kids?"

"Yes, sir?" We all mumbled in unison.

He spoke again with a smile in his voice. "Don't let this happen again, all right?"

Suzume was the first to speak. "We're off the hook?" She asked, bewildered.

Kakashi nodded. "Yes. Just remember my condition. Good night, now." And, with a two fingered, half hearted wave, he was gone. Ayami turned to us.

i Don't worry /i , she mouthed. And she, too, was gone. I let out a sigh of relief, and so did everyone else. We all exchanged wary glances.

"So much for that idea," I mumbled.

"It's not over yet. Let's meet again during the day tomorrow and discuss it," Kiyoshi declared.

I frowned at him, uncertain. "We i just /i got caught, Kiyoshi. Or have you forgotten so soon?"

"I think we should," Suzume persisted.

I sighed.

"All in favor say 'I'," Kiyoshi grinned.

"I," Suzume said.

"I," Sashi and Kobe muttered.

"I." Toshi.

"I." Takeshi.

"I. And Ayami." Hikari, much to my surprise.

"I." Minoshi.

They were all waiting on me, though I was already overruled. Finally, I sighed again. "I."


	36. Confessions

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

NOTE: Thanks to thefourthhoakge for ideas.  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 32

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.

Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half

Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.

Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.

Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.

Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.

Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.

With an excruciatingly painful amount of physical and mental effort, I managed to seem somewhat awake during the next morning's training session. Once again, I wasn't allowed to use my sharingan, and something in my conscious made me worry about it. Surely I hadn't been relying on it _that _much. But again, I let it go, and focused instead on the training itself. Well, as intently as I could, anyway. Subconsciously, I was fighting, conjuring up the required jutsu at the appropriate times. But my mind was far, far away, in the events of last night. Unfortunately, I hadn't been dreaming, as I'd realized on my way to the training grounds earlier.

"Oi, Sae!" Suzume had called, running up to me as I pushed through the throngs of people crowding the streets.

"Hmmm?" I'd yawned, still half asleep and not wanting to believe what had happened only hours ago.

She'd crossed over to me and weaver her arm through mine. As we moved, she skipped, and I just kind of dragged my tired self along. "We're meeting on the South side of town, just after one o'clock," she whispered in my ear. "We'll find you." Obviously, she couldn't give away our designated meeting location in a street full on ninja.

I nodded grimly, then stole my arm back. "See ya then," I waved over my shoulder without looking back.

When the session was over, it was just before noon, and this time, I really _was _dead on my feet. There was still more than an hour till the meeting, but I had no doubt that the others were already there, making plans behind my back. Well, have fun with that, I thought to myself. I'd savor my last hour as ruler of my own life. Well, I wouldn't spend it arguing at least. Not with Ayami, or Suzume, or Kiyoshi, or anyone else for that matter.

My feet carried me on a path that I wasn't seeing through my bleary eyes. Ugh. There was nothing to _do_.Maybe Mom needed help, I decided, then added: Wow, I must be desperate. I walked to the hospital anyway, but my mother was not there. After peering into all the rooms, I trudged in confusion down to the lobby.

"Oh. Hello, Saeko," one of the nurses said.

"Hey. Where's my mom?" I asked.

She smiled warmly. "Actually, I think she went to see the Hokage."

I sighed. "Ok, thanks." It wasn't rare for people to visit Naruto, so I wasn't bothered. Yet. Later, I would be. So I made my way to the mansion, walking with my hands shoved into the pockets of my hoodie, a blank expression on my face. I was heading straight to Naruto's office when I heard the voices. Coming from behind me.

Curious, I turned around and walked back, leaning against the first door to my right. The voices were muffled, and I couldn't make out the words, but I recognized them. All three of them. They were low and almost inaudible voices, but my parents and Naruto were deep in conversation.

"And you're sure?" My mom was asking, I thought.

"Yes," Naruto replied.

Then I couldn't hear anything else. I kept my hands in my pockets, the same curious expression on my face, as I nudged the door open a centimeter with my foot.

"Oh, Sae."

I made my way into the office, my eyebrows pulling together. All three of them seemed really anxious about something. Upset.

"Umm… Hey." It sounded more like a question. "What's up?" Translation: What's going on?

The three of them exchanged quick glances, and I wrinkled my nose. Not good. They were too nervous, so I knew it wasn't about me. If I'd been found it, they'd just be angry. Extremely angry. A few seconds passed, and no answer came. Then mom spoke up.

"Sae… Do you think you could stay with Suzume or Ayami for the next few days?"

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"Because we won't be here." She frowned. "You can stay in the house if you want to, of course, but I'd rather you weren't alone." Alone because of the Akatsuki? Then I knew that the news had reached Konoha.

I took a step backwards. "W-where are you going?" I asked, already fearing the answer. Not there, not there. Please, please, anywhere but there.

"Just to the Hidden Mist village," my dad answered.

They weren't aware that I knew of the betrayal. "Why?" I pressed. The three exchanged glances again.

"The Mist have… formed an alliance with the Akatsuki," Naruto spoke. Though I already knew this, I was shocked. Naruto knew, and he was going to let my parents go out there. No, looking at him, it seemed like he was going to go, too.

And then something clicked. A realization that had been crawling just below the surface, unnoticed, made itself clear. I thought back to the conversation I'd overhead in Tsukimano what felt like years ago.

_They're not the best of friends. _The Leaf and the Mist.

_Feel bad doing this to them. _Joining the Akatsuki

_Just doing what we have to do. _The Akatsuki threatened them.

_Why do they want us? _Why the unexplained alliance?

_They don't. _Of course they don't. _'It's just a decoy…'_

It was all too clear now. This had been the Akatsuki's plan all along, and I'd been too caught up in my own little world to realize it earlier. But now, the full force of the truth weighed down on me, pulling me beneath the black surface of reality.

"You… You can't," I choked out, staring at the ground in shock.

Someone took a step forward. My mom spoke. "Sae, don't worry, it's going to be all right. We're just… investigating."

The words were so familiar, because I'd been telling them to myself for so long. We're just investigating. But they were no more 'just investigating' then I had been. We, the rebellion, who were 'just investigating', where about to meet to decide when to walk right in to enemy territory. So much for playing it safe. But the meeting was the last of things on my list of priorities. They weren't investigating, and we all knew it.

"No," I protested weakly. "Don't."

"Sae-"

"No! You're not investigating!" The pressure increased, and the words came pouring out. "And _they're_ not joining! They're _waiting!"_

The three of them watched me as I took a second to mull over my new realization once more.

"Waiting for what, Sae? Who are you talking about?" My mom seemed worried, like she feared I'd gone insane.

I was still confused. "It's a trap!" I blurted out. "I didn't see it before, I didn't understand. They said that it was a decoy, and now-"

"Stop."

My breathing was too fast, too shaky. It all made sense now, and the pressure was too much to bear. My father was watching me intently, the nervousness gone. I'd said too much.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

But I couldn't stop. "It's a trap! The Akatsuki want to lure us in! In Tsukimano, they said-"

"Tsukimano?"

Hysteric, I nodded.

"Sae, you haven't been to Tsukimano before." She was uncertain now, confused.

I shook my head, and drew in a deep breath. And then the hysteria was gone as I realized what I had just done. I bowed my head and bit my lips. Amidst the tension, Naruto had stepped out of the room, and then the atmosphere was too thick to cut through.

"When did you go to Tsuikmano?" His voice was hard, the slightest edge of anger detectable.

"A few nights ago. And once before then." It was useless. I couldn't lie now. It was too late. I cast my mom a pleading glance- my mother, who knew me better than anyone else in the whole world. But she only gave me a sympathetic look before turning and walking out of the room, leaving just the two of us. I shrank back in dismay.

He waited, and I could sense him watching me, and I could not look up. It was all out in the open now. Everything that I'd worked to keep so secret, gone.

"We didn't mean to do anything dangerous," I began. "We didn't. We were just keeping an eye out."

"We?"

Oh, crap. Me and my big mouth. What happened to being so good at controlling myself? _Everything _in my life was changing, it seemed. "Well, I… I mean…"

He frowned. "Who all was in on this?"

I couldn't turn all of them in like this. "Just me and… Suzume." Suzume didn't have anyone to punish her, but that was such a horrible reason to use her. Surely she would understand, though. I still couldn't meet his gaze- my eyes would give away everything.

"What were you doing, Sae?"

I closed my eyes. "We were…. _I _was just keeping tabs on them."

"Do you remember what you promised me?" He demanded. Oh, yes, I remembered. Remembered how guilty I'd felt crossing my fingers behind my back.

I nodded. "I wasn't messing with them. All we did was get information from… from…" Crap!

"From who?"

I turned away, shaking my head. "Nobody."

He took a moment to reply, and when he did, my stomach lurched. "I _told _you to leave them alone, Sae."

My shoulders sagged, my throat on fire. "I didn't _do _anything," I insisted hopelessly.

"What you _did _was put yourself right in the line of fire. What would have happened if they'd found out? If your source in Tsukimano was one of them?"

Life's full of chances, and the only way to keep moving is to take them, I wanted to say. "I would have…" I couldn't tell him that I would have fought, even if it was the truth- _that _would spark the anger. "…Died?"

He nodded gravely. "How could you put yourself in such a vulnerable position when you told me you wouldn't?"

I couldn't reply.

"I _told _you to stay out of it."

That was it. This time, I was the one yelling. "I can't _do _that! And we both know it! This involves me now, too. It always _has._" And will until they're all gone.

I saw something in his eyes then, and I sensed that he honestly wished he hadn't come back. The thought made me nauseas, and I wanted to make him stop. Yell at me some more, don't think like that.

"Look, I didn't die, all right? And I'm not going to. We were just too impatient to wait for the news to reach Konoha."

"But you _could _have waited."

"No, I couldn't. I had to find out first."

"Why?" he demanded, angry now.

"Because I didn't want you leave again!" I screamed. And it was true. I didn't want him gone ever again. I'd had to start over once before, but it was worth it. He was back. It didn't matter that the Akatsuki were onto us now, waiting for the chance to attack. It didn't matter that I was in more danger now than I'd ever been before. He was here, and I was happy.

My words had left him stunned. He was staring at me, his eyes wide, the anger momentarily forgotten. And I was trembling, something warm and wet pooling in my eyes.

"I don't know. I guess I just thought that… If I found out first… I might be able to do _something _to stop them. Something to make them stay away, so you wouldn't have to worry anymore, and I wouldn't have to go to bed each night fearing that you'd be gone when I woke up. That I'd be all alone again, and maybe not even remember any of it."

The tears rolled down my cheeks now, and I closed my eyes and shook my head toughly. I'd been lying to myself all along. We were never just keeping tabs. I was always waiting, looking for a chance to strike. How following. After all, what could _I _possibly do to stop the Akatsuki? The Akatsuki, who had ruined the lives of so many people. The Akatsuki, who had taken him away from me for most of my life, and who were waiting to ambush Leaf Ninja who would never come.

But it wasn't the whole Akatsuki I hated, I knew. No, just one. Just Itachi.

Before my father could recover this time, I turned and ran from the room, leaving him to stare after me.


	37. Falling Into Traps

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X **

**NOTE: Thanks to thefourthhoakge for ideas.  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X **

**Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 35**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X **

**Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old. **

**Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half **

**Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15. **

**Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old. **

**Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half. **

**Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.**

I was still crying by the time I reached the street; in the process, I passed my mother in the hallway. She'd screamed after me, but I just bowed my head and kept running. Despite my bleary eyes, I made it halfway across the town without incident. Then I turned a sharp corner and bumped into something with enough force to knock the breath out of me. The collision would have sent me crashing to the ground in my weakened state if Kiyoshi's hands hadn't locked around my elbows, saving me.

"Sae, where were y-"

He stopped and turned me around to face me, and his eyes grew wide when he saw the tears gushing down my face.

"What's wrong?"

I shook my head, unable to respond otherwise. He understood that I couldn't explain, it seemed, because he didn't press the matter any further. Trembling, I leaned forward to rest my head on his chest, and he held me close, his cheek pressed into my messy hair. I don't know how long we stood there like that, but when I finally pulled away, his shirt was soaked. He frowned in concern.

"Are you gonna be ok?"

The continued tears made my responding nod less convincing. "Yes," I whispered, bowing my head again. "I'm just…. Stressed out."

He nodded, too.

"I told him what I was doing," I admitted, and looked away, ashamed.

It took him to reply, and his voice was calm. "You told him about the rebellion?"

I nodded weakly. "Yes. But I told him it was just me and Suzume."

He sighed. "Do you really think we're going to let you take all of the glory like that?" By glory, he should have meant blame. But he was grinning impishly when I looked up.

I sighed. "Don't. It's my fault- the whole thing. I started the group, and I told our secret. Don't turn yourself in for something I did."

"We'd have to, anyway. Kakashi knew. Even if it was an accident, you turned yourself in. It would look bad if we let you take it all by yourself." The lopsided grin normally would have made me feel better, but not today.

Of course Kakashi knew. How could we have believed that he didn't, even for one second?

"I have to go," I said finally, and walked past him. "I'll talk to you later."

I couldn't be around when they turned themselves in, knowing it was my fault. So I left him in the alley, and then I was walking again, staring guiltily at my feet. I buried my hands deep in my pockets.

When I looked up again, I was in the forest, the creek glistening in the sun through a thicket of trees to my right. I made my way to the water's edge and sank to my knees, staring absently at my reflection. I looked miserable, to say the least. My hair was a ratty nightmare, my mouth a grim line. Everything had gone so wrong today. I'd let our secret out, and now the others would be in trouble for it. I'd even made my dad want to leave. Anger boiled up in my veins, at myself. My eyes narrowed, and I slapped at my reflection hysterically, sobbing broken sobs once again.

My reflection vanished, and the water became a tidal pool, wrinkles dancing across the surface.

I was lying on the ground then, my back in the damp grass, the tips of my hair fanning out in the water. I could feel the little waves buffeting the locks, fighting over them. I should have gone to the stupid meeting. Maybe we could have gone to the Mist, and I would have fallen into a trap trying to be the center of attention. Maybe I would have died.

Dying sounded pretty good right now.

Stress, as I learned that day, was more than enough to drive you to a mental breakdown. Make you crazy, if you weren't strong enough to fight for your sanity. I'd probably go insane, then. I wasn't strong. I used to think I was, but now… Pointless. Now, I was nothing.

The next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes to a dark, crimson sky. I sat up slowly, my hair sending wet drops trickling down my back. That wasn't a normal color clouding the sky. Too murky, sienna. Not the last light of the day before the sun sank beneath the horizon. It was more like the setting sunlight masked by fog. Smoke. Yes, I could definitely smell smoke now. Something rumbled from far away. Thunder? No. It sounded like something was collapsing, like an entire city.

The village.

I gasped and jumped to my feet, shaking. Was I dreaming? No, this was all real. I could hear my heart pounding disjointedly in my ribs, smell the acrid plumes all around me. What was going on?

From somewhere far, far away, I heard someone screaming. I was running then, stumbling all over myself, vines tearing and lashing at my face. How far had I walked before? Something caught my foot, and I lost my balance, tumbling down a rough slope. I caught myself before I hit the ground, splitting both of my palms open on jagged rocks. Blood pooled up, seeping through the lines in my hands and oozing through my fingers. But I was going again, branches catching my damp hair, my breathing uneven. The screamed were closer now, more ominous. A few more yards and I'd be able to see the gates.

Something moved from somewhere behind me. I froze, muscles growing tense as I forced myself to turn around. He flew at me so fast I barely managed to block the attack. The kunai he'd thrown as he got closer barely skimmed my arm, but it was bleeding. And it hurt.

"Lost, girl?" It was a Mist ninja, his hair matted to his face by his headband. He stood just feet away from me, an evil gleam in his eyes.

"No," I said calmly, but my eyes narrowed. "Are _you?"_

He threw his head back and laughed. "Run away from the village, then? I don't blame you."

I glared. "What's going on?"

Another bone-chilling laugh. "We figured that you would see through our little plan. Don't you recognize me?"

I did. The younger man I'd seen in Tsukimano, now wearing a headband. My parents weren't the ones who had been fooled- _I _was.

"How did you know?" I choked out.

"They've been watching you. You and your little friends." We'd been watched. They'd faked the little meeting in Tsukimano, so we would believe they were in the Mist. It was all a trap. The Akatsuki were _here. _

A sudden, high-pitched laugh made me turn around. Himi stepped forward from the shadows, a headband of the Mist on her forehead. "Silly girl. My poor Kimiko was never going to get better. She was already dead when you saw her."

The Dead Soul Jutsu.

"Why are you here?" I demanded, looking at her.

An evil grin replaced her kind smile. "For you, of course. Why on Earth else?"

Then it started. The man was behind me, and I was jumping gout of the way of the dagger he had almost brought down on me. I threw my knee up, and the breath escaped him with a sharp woosh as it made contact with his stomach. In the moment he was doubled over, I smacked my palms to his back and leaped over him, knocking him to the ground. The kunai I drew from the pouch on my thigh clashed against a shuriken Himi had throw, and I ran at her as the projectiles fell to the ground. I flung my fist forward, but she grabbed me by the wrist and threw me to the ground behind her. On the way down, I managed to elbow her in the back. I got up as quickly as I could manage and whirled around.

Himi and the man were walking towards me, all four eyes narrowed into angry slits.

Something about the surrounding area seemed to change. The two were becoming fading shadows behind a curtain of fog. No, not fog. Mist. They were both coming at me now, and all I could do was dodge and defend myself helplessly. I couldn't see their movements clearly. Something cut into my shoulder, and I winced in pain. The attacks paused for a moment, and I seized my chance. The hand signs were easy to get through now, despite my shaking hands.

I could sense them drawing closer again as I drew in a deep breath.

"Katon! Gokyakou no jutsu!"

It was a full-fledged attack this time, not the soccer ball attempts I'd began with. The mist gleamed orange. I even managed to hold the jutsu out for a few seconds. And then I let it break off anf waited for the smoke to clear. Nothing but the charred remains of the forest around me.

"Hmmm. Not bad," said the man's voice. "For a girl, anyway." Something was falling from the sky, glinting in the light. Senbon. I felt them, landing on and breaking through my skin. Felt the sticky blood sliding down my arms. But where were Himi and the man?

I looked around through narrowed eyes, but the haze was too thick. There were footsteps coming at me, closer, closer. And then they stopped, and they were both coming again. I ran forward to meet them, clenching my teeth. I used something I'd learned from my mom this time, something she'd learned from Tsunade. The chakra flowed to my knuckles, and my fist made contact with the man's chest.

I heard his gasp of pain, then the collision as he slammed against a tree, sinking to the ground.

"You'll pay for that one, girl."

I'd forgotten Himi, I realized too late. All I could do was wait for the dagger in her hand to sink into my stomach, hear the sickening thud. Instead, the sound of metal clashing against metal reverberated through the trees.

Suzume stood between me and Himi, Sashi and Kobe across the clearing I'd created. Himi growled, and Suzume smirked.

"Go on, Sae. We've got these two. Your mom is looking for you."

"What's going on in the village?" I asked.

"Just go see. It's not good."

I was halfway across the clearing in only a second, but a cold hand wrapped around my ankle, restraining me.

"Oh, no you don't. You're not going anywhere, kid."

Growling, I tried to pull away, but he only held tighter. Then Sashi came over and stomped on the wrist, which broke with an earsplitting crackle. And I was free as the man screamed in pain. The village gate entrance was completely gone, nothing but a sea of debris, speckled with glowing embers. Through the smoke that filled my lungs, I could see the rapidly moving black shadows, the headbands glaring in the light of the flames that were engulfing everything. The sounds of battle reflected off of everything else. And then I saw it, so far away, yet too huge not to notice. I couldn't see its shape clearly, but it was giant, towering over and destroying everything. A monster of some sort, its footsteps rattling the earth. Was it a summoned animal? No, it was different, too controlled of itself. A _real _monster that had me frozen to the spot.

And then, amidst the screams and clanking of weapons, I heard something else. A voice. My mother's.

"Sae!"

I whirled around, and she was right there beside me, frantic. "Mom, what's going on?" I demanded, though I already knew the answer.

"The Akatsuki," was all she said. "Where is your dad?

My eyes grew wide, but other than that, I was frozen. I wasn't thinking about the animal monster thing destroying the village, or the screams echoing through the air. We didn't know where _he _was, and the Akatsuki were here, and I had run out crying and hadn't seen him since then-

I was running then, letting my mother's pleading cries disappear behind me. People were fighting all around me, the monster's footsteps making the earth shudder. But I couldn't focus on those now. As I ran, I fell often, my palms and knees still oozing blood. I looked around desperately, saw an occasional Akatsuki cloak, but they weren't who I was looking for.

And then I was in the forest again, and the smoke seemed thicker. I knew they were close. I was flitting along a downwards slope when the clearing came into view. I skidded to a silent halt and found myself seeing the two faces I'd been expecting to find.


	38. The Battle

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X 

NOTE: Thanks to thefourthhoakge for ideas. b To the fourthhokage: need ideas for the next chapter, which is the final one. PM me?  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X 

Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 36  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X  
Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.  
Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half  
Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.  
Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.  
Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.  
Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.  
Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins

At first, neither of them looked at me. Itachi's expression changed, but I turned to look at my father before he could meet my gaze. Dad stared angrily at Itachi for another moment, then followed his gaze to me. His eyes widened.

"Sae, get out of here."

I shook my head. Kiyoshi wasn't here to make me leave like he had been during my first encounter with Itachi. This time, I would not run away.

"Sae," he said more urgently.

"No," I kept my voice firm, calm. Not now, not this time. "I'm staying." I started towards him, and the pain from my wounds made my vision blur. But I shook it off and turned my head.

I felt my father grow tense beside me.

"What is it?" I asked under my breath. Both of them seemed worn out already, like the battle had started a long time ago. I'd apparently been unconscious for hours.

He cast me a quick, sideways glance. "Whatever you do, don't look into his eyes." He'd given up on trying to make me leave. I could tell that he planned on this being the last battle, so there were probably more important things at the moment. Maybe he thought there was no reason to worry. But why wasn't I supposed to… Something about the sharingan? Out of all of my research, I didn't recall anything that would explain the desperation behind my dad's words.

My eyebrows pulled together as Itachi let out a dark, humorless chuckle that left me clenching my fists.

"It's pointless, foolish little brother. You've never been able to protect her. Time after time, you make the mistake of thinking you can save her, and time after time you fail. That much will never change."

Through the anger, I could almost see the pain in dad's eyes, but I turned to frown at the ground. No, there was no way it was _his _fault. It wasn't that _he _wasn't strong enough, it was just that _I _was too weak. And I didn't seem to be getting any stronger, either.

"She'll have to face the truth eventually, no matter how you look at it," Itachi continued.

"The truth?" I echoed. And then it happened so quickly. I couldn't help it- I looked up in confusion, falling into his trap.

"Sae, no!"

I saw an unfamiliar sharingan, something sinister that made my stomach lurch, and then I began to feel really dizzy. The sky started to change, the sienna growing darker to a real, bloodlike crimson. Everything else changed, too, until I was standing in a world of only three colors. Black, white, red. And my dad and Itachi were gone, and it was just my mother and me standing in the street. At first, they were images of the gruesome past I remember. I was a little girl, standing beside my mom, watching as a man came and picked up his crying daughter, whispering soothing words as he carried her away. I watched wide eyed as the girl laughed, happy. And then I was back to the present, still in the world of darkness, and the worst sight of all came.

My mom and I were standing before the front gate, staring out into the forest where my father had just disappeared, leaving us and the village behind. Then my mom was gone, a different day. She was at the hospital, and I was walking through the street, all alone.

"Sae!" someone was calling me from far away. I couldn't tell who it was, where they were. The voice was incomprehensible.

On my own, I was standing at the village gate again, where he'd disappeared. "No," I whispered into the air. "Don't go… Don't… Please-" I sobbed.

"Sae!"

"No… Don't…. Don't go."

Why was this happening? Why was I seeing this? Pain tore through, emotional and sharp and excruciating.. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, but it didn't help. My breathing was uneven, panicked. The pain of seeing him walk away had hurt more than anything in my living memory, and the fear that I would one day wake up to find him gone overwhelmed me. My knees buckled, and I stared, wide eyed and unseeing, at the ground.

"Sae!" The voice was closer now, and it was my dad's. I couldn't look up. I couldn't _keep _up. It was like I was stuck on seeing him walk away, and nothing was real after that.

"Please… Don't leave me." My voice was just a weak whisper now. I couldn't raise my eyes.

"Sae…" I could hear something in his voice, the same pain that I'd seen in his eyes before I had run out earlier. The realization of how much I needed him was agonizing for him, but not surprising for me. I'd thought I was stronger before. And then he came back around, and I realized what _strong _really meant. Something I never had been, something I wasn't. Something I couldn't be, even when I so desperately needed to.

"Please…"

I needed him too much. I was nothing without him. No, I was _alone _without him. In a darkness worse than the blood-colored one around me now. It was strange, admitting this to myself. I'd never wanted so badly to keep someone in my life. I'd never cared about someone so much.

"Please. Don't go. I need you. Please."

The image of him disappearing kept replaying, each time worse than the last. This world, the images, the vulnerability… It was some kind of mental torture beyond any physical pain I'd even experienced.

"I'm not leaving, Sae." His tone was serious, no trace of doubt in it. I realized he was actually speaking to me, and I looked up, and he was right there.

I couldn't speak. The image was still there, a lingering aftertaste that was easier to believe than the words he was speaking right now.

"Really. Calm down. I'm not going anywhere. You have to break out of here, Sae."

"How?" I mouthed. I was beyond speaking now. The pain made it almost impossible to breathe.

"Just fight it."

Fight. For the first time in my life, the word fight seemed impossible. "I can't…" I whispered, shaking my head.

"Yes, you can. You have to."

I shook my head again. "I'm not strong enough." I was too weak, helpless.

He sighed. "Listen to me. I'm not leaving again. You can't believe anything he shows you here."

But, was this something he was showing me, too? Could I believe _this, _or was it a part of the illusion as well? Would I see him leave again, even after all of these attempts to convince me? That would only make it hurt so much more.

"I… can't." Why did each second here seem so long, hurt so bad? I looked away weakly, feeling faint. The image repeated, flashed before my eyes, and the pain was sharp enough to make me bring my hands to my temples. I was too weak. There was no reason for him to stay- I'd walk myself into another trap, be too weak to get out of it, and he'd have to come and save me yet again.

"I promise."

I winced, snapping my eyes closed.

"Sae, I'm not leaving," he insisted. "I love you, and I'm proud of you, and I'm never going to leave you again."

My eyes flew open, and I gasped for breath. The colors were back now, the illusion world gone. I was on my hands and knees on the grass, blood-soaked from my wounds. My head hurt, and I was dizzy. I'd never felt as exhausted and weak as I did now. He was kneeling beside me, his hand on my shoulder. My vision blurred again as I looked across the clearing.

Itachi was watching, the same bored mask on his face. He didn't seem bothered or surprised that I'd broken free. He just seemed… Well, he seemed Itachi.

The hand slipped from my shoulder, and my dad stood up.

"Stay here," he ordered, and he sounded just as weary as I felt.

No, wait, I wanted to argue, but I couldn't make the words come out. I couldn't do anything but watch with halfclosed eyes as he started across the clearing. I couldn't tell when the fighting started up again, but I could suddenly hear the sounds, the jutsu being called out and the crackle of flames. But I couldn't see my dad or Itachi.

With what felt like every ounce of strength I had left, I struggled to my feet, using a tree to support myself. The bark hurt when it made contact with my scathed hands. I cringed. My dad was saying something. I had the notion that it was something very final. But the battle was not over yet. I couldn't see their conditions, but I knew neither of them could be doing good. Another fireball justu, and Itachi countered with something that made me grow tense with shock. Black flames? Yes, I was seeing correctly, and the black flames were devouring everything, leaving nothing but charred grass and ashes.

The end was coming soon, but for who, I could not tell.

Something happened then, and I missed it. Before I could figure out what I'd overlooked, I felt the bark of the tree cutting into my back, and a hand, cold as ice, locked around my throat, the nails digging into my neck. I couldn't even attempt to struggle. I just glared at Itachi with as much anger as I could managed. He seemed exhausted, too, but the calmness was still there.

I knew then that I was going to die.

He looked at me, and his eyes found mine; there was something behind his dark gaze. Hunger? Satisfaction?

And then it clicked. My father hadn't made me quit using the sharingan because I was relying on it too much. He hadn't wanted me to power it up. For some reason, Itachi wanted my eyes. I shuddered, and the satisfaction was clear in his voice as he leaned forward to whisper in my ear.

"Ever wonder why my foolish little brother never had another child?" There was a pause, too short for me to reply. "It's because you would have repeated the very same thing that I'm about to do to you."

My eyes grew wide, which, as I realized a second too late, was exactly what he wanted. His hand was in front of my face, and I could feel the fingertips brush against my forehead.

I squinted my eyes closed and tried to turn my head away, knowing that it was pointless. I could do no more but wait for the pain to come.

A single drop of blood fell through the air, and the only thing I heard was the thud as it hit the ground. And then the real waterfall came. And, above it all, I heard something else. Birds.

I forced my eyelids back –both of them- and my vision was still blurry. But I could see. Bits and pieces. The hand falling away from my face, a ball of chakra that looked more like lightning, and black marks dancing up a blue tinted arm that gradually retained its normal pale color. And then the bark was gone, and I was falling.

The last thing I saw was Itachi's dead body. And then everything went black.


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs.  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X  
NOTE: Thanks to thefourthhoakge for ideas.  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X  
Thoughts of a Broken Family, Chapter 37  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Ino Shikamaru: Toshi, now 13 (almost 14). Satoru, now 6 and a half years old.  
Sakura Sasuke: Saeko, now 14 and a half  
Kiba Temari: Kiyoshi, 15.  
Hinata Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 11 and a half. Twins.  
Tenten Neji: Hikari, 17. Hiroshi, almost 12 years old.  
Kakashi Kurenai: Ayami, now 17 and a half.  
Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins

I awoke to a loud, rhythmic beeping sound. A heart monitor? No, if I listened carefully, there were more than one, coming from rooms all around me. The hospital. I blinked at the ceiling a couple of times, trying to remember what had happened. Why I was here.

And then I remembered it- everything I'd been conscious for, at least. The encounter with Himi, the smoke in the air, the giant monster terrorizing the village, and then the battle in the forest…. Groaning, I pushed myself up onto my elbows and looked around. I was in an all-white room, and a dim darkness surrounded me. The curtain was drawn over the only window to my left, but I could see the navy of the sky through a crack at the top. It was night. It had been night before I lost consciousness, when I saw the result of the battle. The marks, the chakra that sounded like birds, the blood, Itachi on the ground, dead…

With a startled gasp, I looked around again. Had that really happened? How long had I been out of it? I tried to sit up all the way, but I couldn't seem to do it. I was still exhausted, weak. Everything still hurt.

"Are you awake?" The door opened slowly, and my dad stepped in, a faraway expression on his face.

"Yeah… How long have I been out?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

He thought about it for a few seconds, then sat down in a chair by the bed. "Almost six days now."

I sighed. That long, really? Wow. "So, that really all happened then?" I asked, staring down at my hands in my lap.

There was a short pause before he spoke. "Yeah, it happened."

"And… is it really… over?" Outside of our battle in the forest, I didn't know anything of the village's condition, or the rest of the villagers.

"Yes, they're all gone."

I exhaled deeply, then looked absently up at the ceiling. It took me a moment, during which I fought a mental debate, before I could speak. "What was that all about?" I whispered, not looking down.

The silence lasted longer this time, and I was going to try to further explain when he finally replied. He knew exactly what I was talking about. "He used the Mangekyou sharingan on you. It's a… different version of the sharingan. When you look into the eyes of someone who's using the Mangekyou sharingan, you're sent to the illusion world of Tsukiyomi. It's a type of genjutsu that makes the victim think they're in pain. But it's just an illusion."

It felt real enough to me, I thought to myself.

"And the only way out of it is to have a strong enough willpower, which you proved you had."

I laughed without humor, looking up at the ceiling again. "Yeah, sure."

"You really did," he said. "Actually, you did quite a good job. I couldn't get out the first time he used it on me."

I still didn't believe it, so I went back to asking questions. "Why did he want my eyes?" I pondered, remembering how close Itachi had come to getting them.

He frowned. "When you use the Mangekyou sharingan, your vision slowly begins to fade away. The price for using it is blindness. However… If the owner of the Mangekyou sharingan were to steal the eyes of a sibling, or, in this case, the child of a sibling, he would be granted Eternal Sight."

As he spoke, I looked over at him in awe. When he spoke, I looked away. "That's why you didn't want me to use my sharingan," I stated.

"Yes," he nodded.

There was another question on my mind, and I bit my lip, wondering whether or not to ask it. My eyes found my lap again, and I twisted my fingers together absently.

He seemed to realize that something was going on in my mind, because he asked, "What is it?"

I hesitated. When I finally spoke, my voice was an almost inaudible whisper. "…Is it true what Itachi said? That I don't have sibling because you were afraid I'd turn out like him?" Crazy for power, doing anything to get what he wanted. And then the question was out, and I couldn't look up.

This question seemed to bother him more than any of the others. He was looking away, too, lost in thought. It might have been better if I hadn't asked, but it was too late for that. Eventually, he spoke again. "When I was younger… That was why I went to kill Itachi. Before I had kids. I don't think you would have ever done anything like that. Especially if Itachi had been dead before you were born, and you'd have never even learned anything about him."

So much for that idea, I thought sardonically. But I had my answer, and it was good enough. I wondered what time it was- it was so dark outside the windows, nowhere near dusk or daybreak. Sometime around midnight, probably. I was tired, but I wasn't finished yet. There was still so much more to ask.

"And what were those weird marks I saw? And the jutsu you used? Can I learn them?"

It was an innocent enough question, but he frowned.

"The marks are a definite 'no', but I guess I can teach you the Chidori. Not for a while, though, your mom's probably going to keep you here for a while."

I sighed. Yes, she probably would. But, at least I knew they cared. All at once, I had to fight back the urge to yawn, and even then, my eyes narrowed, the lids growing heavy in a matter of seconds.

"Then again, you probably _do _need to stay here for a while. You look exhausted."

I yawned again, then sank back against my pillow, nuzzling my cheek into the soft fabric. I couldn't open my eyes as I spoke, they were too heavy. "I'm never going to do that," I vowed. "I'll never be like him." It sounded like an incoherent mumble, and I wondered if he had heard it. The rest I couldn't speak, but I finished the oath in my mind. _I'll always use the sharingan for good, to protect and serve those who I love and those who are important to me. I will never travel a path like the one Itachi had followed, and I will never lose myself to the darkness. I will only be good, fight for good, stand for good. And I will never lose sight of the things that are important in life._

And then I slipped restfully into a dreamless sleep.

Hours later, I awoke to the first light of day seeping in through the crack in the window. I sat up slowly- my dad was gone, so I managed to escape the room without trouble. As I made my way through the hall, I peered in through the windows of the heavy doors, into white room after white room, the beds within them unoccupied, for the most part. Perhaps there hadn't been many injuries at all, and we'd managed a good victory despite the combined force of the Akatsuki, Mist Ninja, and the giant monster that I would have to ask about later- I'd forgotten to do so in last night's interrogation.

Then I saw a mirror in my peripheral vision, and I turned to face my horrid reflection. My hair was down, the waves ratty with knots and dirt. Cotton pads were taped to my cheeks, and, beneath my shirt, I could see the outline of the gauze on my shoulders, and a piece of cloth wrapped around my head. I was a mess, to say the least. My palms were wrapped in gauze, too. Sighing, I reached up and tore the cotton from my cheeks. In six days, the cuts that the vines and branches had so brutally inflicted on me had slowly begun to fade away, and now they were nothing more than angry pink lines crisscrossing across my skin.

I didn't bother taking the bandages off of my hands, but I attempted to run my fingers through my tangled hair. Of course, it was a useless attempt. In the end, I just pulled it back into a low ponytail, and, even though my hair usually looked better in a high tail, even _this _was better than the knotty mess it was before. The deeper wounds that had been inflicted on me, like the one in my side that I hadn't noticed before, throbbed painfully with every few steps I took, but the pain wasn't that unbearable. I continued glancing into the rooms, saw an occasional nurse, but I didn't see my mom. She's always hard to find when I need her, I whined to myself. Though, I didn't really need anything at the moment. I just didn't want to sit still on a small bed in a boring hospital room all day.

Finally, I passed a closed door, and I heard her voice. And Tsunade's, and Shizune's. Whatever they were talking about, it didn't seem to serious. Shizune was talking, and she sounded ecstatic. Then mom spoke, and she seemed uncertain. And Tsunade seemed pleased.

Curious, I rapped on the door lightly, and luckily, it didn't hurt my knuckles.

"Come in," Shizune said.

I turned the doorknob and stepped inside, and they were gather in an empty hospital room. Shizune was grinning from ear to ear, and even Tsunade had a playful look about her. My mom looked between the two of them, and they both looked at me.

"Oh, you're awake," my mom said, and her voice had the slightest tone of nervousness behind it. I cast her a curious glance.

"Umm… Yeah. What's going on?" I looked at the three of them in turn. Shizune and Tsunade exchanged glances, then Shizune looked at my mom. She mouthed something that I couldn't see, then the two left, leaving just me and my mom standing in a very confusing silence.

"Well?" I prompted.

Mom looked at me, then at the door, which I pushed close with a sigh. She hesitated for a moment more, and I could sense that a lot of emotions were coursing through her. Uncertainty was definitely there, but behind it, I thought I could sense something else. She was excited about _something, _it seemed.

I wrinkled my nose, then laughed, unsure. "Mom, what _is _it? Tell me. Please?!"

"All right, all right." She glanced at the door again. "Ok, now, keep this secret for a while, because I haven't told your dad yet… But… I'm…"

Blinking, I tilted my head to one side.

"I'm pregnant."

I blinked again, not sure I'd heard her correctly. I gave her another curious glance, and bit down on my bottom lip. "Really?" I whispered.

"Yes, Sae, really."

I opened my mouth to say something again, then clamped both of my hands over my lips, constantly biting on the bottom one. She watched carefully for my reaction, and I felt the corners of my mouth rising beneath my hand. I let out a small squeal of joy, and she looked relieved.

"Why haven't you told him?" I hissed in a low whisper.

She looked away again. "I don't really know… what his reaction will be…"

I scoffed. "Oh, I don't think he'll mind too terribly," I thought, thinking of the previous night's conversation. Excited, I let out another squeal, something that I very rarely did unless I was _this _happy, which was also rare. "Hey, can I go out for a while?"

Mom opened her mouth to argue, but I stuck my bottom lip out pleadingly. She sighed. "Fine. Don't do anything crazy, though."

"I won't, I'm just going home first and then I'm gonna walk around the village." I turned to leave, then looked back over my shoulder with a grin. "You should tell him." Then I ran out of the room, still grinning.

I ran into my dad just outside of the hospital, and he was surprised to see me outside. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Oh, mom said I could walk around for a while," I explained.

He looked confused. "She let you leave that early?"

I nodded, then turned to go. "Yeah. By the way, I think she was looking for you," I lied over my shoulder. Once again, I ran off, pleased with myself. Surely she wouldn't mind the setup all that much. I wouldn't wait around long enough to find out, just to be safe.

I only stayed at my house long enough to wash and brush my hair, and I pulled it into the usual high ponytail. It was rare for me to keep my hair down, anyway. After I got dressed again, I could not stand still. So I left the house, running through the streets and looking for something to do.

The village wasn't in as bad a condition as I thought- probably because they'd managed to rebuild most of it in less than a weak. The village gates were back, exactly the same as they had been before, and now there were very few buildings left to be prepared. But everyone seemed happy. The adults smiled as they pounded on the rooftops, and the children ran through the streets giggling. It was pretty hard for me to keep from grinning, too, and finally I gave up attempting.

And then I spotted Kiyoshi across the street. I passed through the crowd, then grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him along after me. "Follow me," I said, though he was already doing so.

He was shocked. "Well, you sound pretty cheerful, for someone who just came out of her own mini coma," he commented. I rolled my eyes. Six days, no big deal. I'd been out longer than that before. "What's got you so worked up, anyway?"

"In a minute," I said. We ended up at the Academy campus, which was deserted- everyone was helping out in the village. But it was a calm silence that filled the air. Serene and peaceful and tranquil. I flopped down beneath the tree, and he sat down next to me, watching curiously.

"Ok, spill it," he demanded. "Why are you so freaked out?"

I grinned down at the grass. "Because I'm excited."

"About?"

Inhaling deeply, I tried to calm down, flexing my fingers and trying to force the grin away from my face, failing miserably. "My mom's pregnant," I admitted.

"Really?" He repeated the same thing I'd said after I found out. When I nodded, he gave me a crooked grin. "Wow, Sae, that's awesome!"

"I know, right?" I asked giddily, and then I looked away. Maybe I was being a little _too _ecstatic. "She's telling dad right now. She was afraid of how he was going to react, and she didn't want to tell him, but I kind of set it up. So, yeah."

He laughed. "Well, that's really good for you, Sae."

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the tree, staring up at the sky. Part of me was worried, even through the fog of excitement. I'd had plenty of experience with little kids- Hiroshi, Kohana, Satoru, Atsuhiro… But never one that was actually going to be a part of my life every single day.

"You're upset now? Talk about a major mood swing," Kiyoshi rolled his eyes. "Chill out, Sae, you're going to make a great older sister."

The words were simple enough, and he shrugged as he said them, but they meant a lot. I could only hope that he was right. Surely my mom was telling my dad right now. After the talk last night, I didn't think he'd mind the news that much, but I hadn't stopped to think it through. What if, despite my promise, he was worried about it?

It took me a minute to realize that I was biting on the inside of my cheek. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply, the good mood vanishing by the second.

No, I didn't need to worry about that right now. I'd made my promise, and I wasn't going to break it. This new sibling of mine… I'd protect them, no matter what, and make sure they always knew the difference between right and wrong. And we wouldn't have to tell him or her about the Mangekyou sharingan, or the Akatsuki, or the Eternal sight, or any of it.

For now, everything was fine. And, hopefully, it would stay that way for a very long time. Sighing contentedly, I rested my cheek against Kiyoshi's shoulder and closed my eyes. For now, I would not worry.

**A/N: The End. I'm seriously about to start bawling my eyes out. I've never been so attached to a story…. Epilogue coming tonight or tomorrow. Probably a short one tonight.**


	40. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own my OCs. **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X **

**NOTE: Thanks to thefourthhokage for ideas.  
X-X-X-X-X-X-X **

**Thoughts of a Broken Family- The Epilogue**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X **

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X **

**Ino and Shikamaru: Toshi, now 18, almost 19. Satoru, now 12 and a half years old. **

**Sakura and Sasuke: Saeko, 19. Ryouko, 5. **

**Kiba and Temari: Kiyoshi, 19. **

**Hinata and Naruto: Kohana (F), and Atsuhiro (M), 16 and a half. Twins. **

**Tenten and Neji: Hikari, 22. Hiroshi, almost 17 years old. **

**Kakashi and Kurenai: Ayami, now 22. **

**Gaara and Crazy Lady (Grace/GaaraCutie): Hajime (M) and Mamoru (M), 8 months old. Twins.**

After the Akatsuki attack, life in the village seemed oddly peaceful. Of course, we still had to continue attempting to get along with the other ninja counties, and continue managing the bad relationships with the others, as ever country did. We still had our problems, but the sudden absence of the dark, ominous threat that had been lingering over us for so long left us all feeling a little safer, calmer. Relieved.

It was easier to go about our daily business without fear of what was soon to come. And, for me, it was good to not have to sneak out after dark. The others still did it sometimes, just to hang out, and, very infrequently, if I couldn't sleep at night, I would go to join them. Other than that, though, I stayed home as much as possible, especially after the birth of my incredibly adorable (and incredibly annoying) little brother, Ryouko.

Everything else was normal for a while. We all became Chuunin, and so did Kohana, Hiroshi, and Atsuhiro. Of course, they all got to take the exams at the proper age, instead of two years later. Within five years, the memory of the Akatsuki seemed far away, nothing but a ghost. And Ryouko never knew anything about it.

From what I heard, life was calm in Suna, too. Apparently, the twins, just a year older than my own brat of a brother, were already troublemakers.

And, in five years, I kept my promise, without effort or flaw. I _adored _my brother, rambunctious as he could be at times, and added to my list of vows that I would always protect him and be there if he needed me. Not that he'd ever ask for my help. Not in public, anyway. Asking his older sister for help might _embarrass _him, or something like that.

Kiyoshi and I continued to hang out, but not so much in front of Ryuu. Sometimes, I'd see my brother growing up, and wonder if I was doing my part. Of course, Kiyoshi would come wrap his arm around me and assure me that I was doing just fine.

My mother continued working at the hospital, and I helped out occasionally. I also continued working at Ijir's, two nights a week, just for something to do. Usually, my friends would come and hang out at the restaurant, and I'd bring Ryuu with me. He seemed to enjoy it.

And as for my dad… Well, at first, I'd been a little afraid of his reaction, too, secretly wondering if he was worried that I might follow a path like Itachi, despite my promise not to. Shortly before Ryouko was born, my dad found me walking through the streets, staring unseeingly at the ground. He'd asked what was wrong, and when I didn't answer, he seemed to realize what was on my mind.

"You're worried about it?"

"A little," I'd admitted grudgingly, looking away, the fear plain on my face. With the kid so close, I couldn't help but worry about it. If this was something that had been going on for generations… Surely there had to be a way around it.

"Don't be. Don't worry about it- it's going to be fine." He sounded sure, like there was no disbelief.

I bowed my head. "How can you be so sure?" I whispered, wondering if it bothered him that I had so much self doubt. But he didn't turn away, or look upset.

He stared straight ahead as he spoke. "Itachi was different. It wasn't something that just happened overnight- he was always like that. But you're not."

I blinked once, then looked over at him. Nowhere on his face could I see any sign of indecision. He really was confident that everything would be ok. If only I could be as sure as he was.

"Besides," he'd continued. "You were raised better."

So I'd laughed, feeling relieved.

But, back to the present.

"Come on, Ryuu. Hurry it up!" I called over my shoulder. He glared at me, following me through the street, ducking through the crowd.

He was taking his time on purpose, keeping a steady pace in an attempt to annoy me. It was working. I stopped and turned around, arms folded across my chest.

"You're wasting _your _time, kid. Not mien. I could go do something else for the next hour." Something that wouldn't risk my getting into trouble.

Ryuu sighed. "Fine," he murmured, then trudged past me. Rolling my eyes, I followed after him, until we reached the training grounds. I tossed my small backpack to the ground and stretched.

"Ok then," I chirped. "Ready?"

He walked out to the center of the deserted training grounds and nodded. "Yeah!"

I probably wouldn't get in trouble for this, anyway. He started the academy in just a year- I was just getting him ready for what was coming. I wasn't teaching him anything dangerous- just the basics, like target practice and explaining the chakra network. Besides, at nineteen years old, I was more than capable of training him. It wasn't something I'd vowed to do, but for some reason, I wanted to teach him everything.

It felt like I was doing something for him- just being there, and letting him know that I would _always _be there. Just letting him know that I cared.

"All right, let's go."

Since I had to work tonight, I wasn't going to get too enthusiastic. Basically, all I did was perform a basic clone jutsu. Then I sat down beneath a tree and watched as he used my imitation as target practice.

We'd only been doing this for a couple of weeks, but already, he had an amazingly accurate aim. As I was watching, someone hopped down from a branch above me. Satoru, now just days away from her 13th birthday, folded herself on the ground beside me. She tossed me a bottle of water, which I caught without looking away from Ryuu. He seemed to tense when Satoru arrived, but my clone kept him busy.

Satoru frowned. "I don't know why he gets so freaked out when people see you training with him. I would have done anything to have you train me."

I shrugged. "You should have just asked. I still will, if you want to. Anytime."

"Seriously?" she beamed. I nodded, and she jumped up. Satoru reminded me of myself at her age. Tomboyish, wearing a shirt that went down to her knees, and capris under that. Her hair was still fashioned in the two low pigtails that hung over her shoulders. "Good. The chuunin exams are two days after my birthday."

"Good," I repeated, grinning. "I needed something to keep me awake."

"I heard that!" Ryuu called as I lead Satoru across the grounds. We both laughed.

The next hour passed quickly. Satoru, just a Genin, was pretty good for her age, even with her jutsu. She had it good from both sides- the shadow jutsu from her dad, mind possession from Ino. The only problem was that she ran out of chakra quickly.

"You can't rely solely on jutsu," I warned her. "You'll run out of chakra. You'll need to use projectiles sometimes, and even Taijutsu."

She nodded.

"Oh. And when you're using jutsu, don't just fire them off left and right. Space them out, and use them only when necessary."

"Got it."

And then the sky was growing darker, and the three of us gathered up the fallen weapons before starting back to town. Unfortunately, the restaurant was packed. Kiyoshi, Ayami, Toshi, Takeshi, Ryuu, Hikari (who actually wasn't as antisocial as I thought she was), Suzume, Kohana, Atsuhiro, Satoru and Hiroshi took up half of the room, but I didn't get to hang out with them much. Ijiri kept my pretty busy.

On the bright side, I made good tips.

Almost two hours later, I sat down with my group. Suzume pushed a box of pocky at me, and I nibbled at a stick wearily.

"Tired?" Ayami asked from a few seats down."

"Yeah. Ryuu and Satoru wore me out. I'm beat."

Toshi yawned. "She's been wearing me out since she was born. Welcome to the club."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks. Do I get a membership certificate?" I asked sarcastically.

"You already have one," Hikari smirked. "It's called a little sibling."

She, Toshi and I all nodded. Hiroshi, Satoru, and Ryuu glared at us, and Ryuu whispered something into Hiroshi's ear. He grinned impishly and passed it onto Satoru, and I cast Hikari a wide eyed glance.

"Food fight," Satoru grinned. And the chaos started. The air was filled with flying food, ice, napkins. I squealed and jumped up, taking a step backward. I tripped on something and hit the ground.

Something warm and sticky drenched my hair. Miso soup. Gasping, I jumped up, and caught Ryuu before he could get away.

"Oh, no you don't, brat. You'll pay for that one."

The dessert cake I grabbed was in _his _hair then, and he reached up to wipe it away. Then he pressed his frosting coated hand to my cheek. It quickly turned into a frosting-caked slapping fight, until I pinned him to the ground.

"Give up?" I asked.

He smirked up at me. "No, I was just getting started." Then he pulled on the nearest table cloth. I ducked, my cheek pressed against his frosting-covered one as everything fell all around us, including utensils, which I instinctively shielded him from.

Everyone was excited now, screaming and laughing; when the food stopped falling, Ryuu and I were laughing the hardest, both of us utter messes.

Someone dropped an ice cube down my shirt, and I jumped to my feet, freeing Ryuu. Suzume, grinning, took a step away from my.

My eyes narrowed maliciously, I grabbed a glass of water. And splashed its contents into her face.

And the war continued. And we laughed until our sides ached, like their wasn't a worry in the world. And right now, there wasn't. But no peace can last forever, no matter how blissful. I could only hope that this one would last for a very long time.

**OMG, horrible ending, I know. I meant to make a fluffy sibling scene between Ryuu and his big sister, but, I'm already working on my next project. Ok, so, here's where I need all of your help. If I were to write a sequel, would you read it? Yes or no? Thanks so much for reading, minna-san!!**


	41. Preview

**Chapter One of the Sequel!!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Note: This will later be posted as a different story, just as soon as I think of an appropriate title. For those of you who wanted a sequel, sit down, old your breath, and let the adventure begin. Again. :D**

It was already dark by the time I started back for the village. I didn't have to return tonight, and I'd been invited to stay at the inn in the town I'd just come from, but I wasn't tired yet. Besides- an early return makes for a better report. Though, I could think of a few people who wouldn't want me out here on my own this late at night.

My mission had been simple, as they always were. Just taking a message to the neutral Waterfall village; stopping in Tsukimano had been nothing more than a personal quest.

I'd visited the graveyard, and, in the light of the setting sun, it hadn't taken long to find the one smooth stone that I was looking for. Kimiko Itsuiro. The girl I'd impersonated five years ago. No, I'd never really seen this girl- she'd already been dead. It was the Dead Soul Jutsu. Her own mother, Himi, who had so wickidely defiled her daughter's memory.

What had Kimiko been like? Cruel and evil, like her mother? Or was she shy and sweet, like I'd pretended to be. Either way, I would never know. Sighing, I'd turned and ran from the village, letting the memories disappear behind me.

I didn't think much about those previous years- the threat of the Akatsuki that was now nothing more than ancient history, the betrayal of the Mist village... Mostly, I didn't have to worry about pushing the thoughts away, because there was always something (or someone) to distract me.

It was darker than usual tonight- the sky was thick with cloud cover. Almost eerie. But I'd had no real adventure in my life for yeas, nothing to worry about. I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to fight outside of training.

Tonight, that would change.

I was just fifteen minutes from the village when I heard the laughter. I could hear two voices- one deep and male, the other feminine and amused, like she was smirking and laughing all at once. The laughted was mirthless and rough, almost scornful. Coming from the forest to my right. I listened for a moment, then the laughs were replaced by words. Sneers.

"It's useless, girl. You can't escape." The man.

"We've got you now. Be a good little girl and come quietly." The woman.

There was no audible reply, but I heard the woman growl, "insolent brat."

And someone whimpered. A child. There were only three presenses. The man and the woman were attacking a _kid. _My fists clenched, I ran through the trees, swift and silent, the air sending my hair flying behind me. Within seconds, I could see them. The woman, with her sinister black eyes narrowed into slits, twirled a lock of lilac hair around her finger. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, with choppy brown hair and blue eyes that gleamed darkly. They were both glaring at a little girl with violet hair and green blue eyes. The girl was pressed against a tree a few yards away from them, but her eyes betrayed no fear. In fact, her eyes were lightless, with an emotionless, drained expression in her eyes. I realized that she had to be about Ryuu's age.

That tiny detail sparked the flame, but I stood there, motionless, biting back my anger.

"Well? Are you going to come with up?" The man asked.

The girl didn't reply.

"Guess we'll just have to take her by force." There was no sign of refret in the woman's voice as she lunged for the girl, who made no move to save herself. The child's face remained a serene mask, though the woman was just inches away...

"Or maybe you should just lay off." I landed between the two, my arms folded across my chest.

The woman stopped, ehr eyes narrowing as she took me in. I couldn't find a headband on her, and, quite honestly, she didn't seem all that strong...

"Oh?" She smirked. "And who do we have here?"

"Doesn't matter," said the man. "Just a passerby, sticking her pretty little nose where it doesn't belong."

I glared at the man as he spoke, then snorted. "Passerby, huh?" I asked. "Would you like me to show you just how _wrong _you are, idiot?"

He took a step forward, but I didn't move. We glared at each other. Then he said, "Very well. If the girl wants to get involved, then let her face the consequences."

"Oh, wow, I'm so scared," I said sarcastically. Then I grinned. "Let's go, then, hot shot."

Obviously, these people were _not _ninja. The man lunged at me, and I jumped up, landing with my feet on his back. I kicked him to the ground and turned to the woman, giving her a curious expression. "So, what's it gonna be?" I asked. "Either you leave now, or I'll have to go off on you, too?"

She was fuming, but she didn't move to attack me. Instead, she looked over at the man, still on the ground. "Get up, fool." Then she turned back to me. "You made a mistake tonight, girl. You should have just minded your own business. Our master will hear about this, and when he does-"

"Figured you had to be working for _someone_," I scoffed. "Do yourselves a favor- see to it that your _master _sends someone who might actually pose a threat. There's no challenge in getting rid of someone like you."

The woman cast me one last withering glance, then she and the man were gone. I turned around to face the girl, who hadn't moved or said anything during the full two minutes. She looked up from the ground slowly, and her lightless eyes made it seem like she was in a trance.

"You saved me," she stated.

I nodded. "Are you ok?"

:I'm fine. Thank you." She stood up, and I could see a gash on her arm, blood seeping out. I crouched down and grabbed her by the wrist. "Let me see that," I ordered, and placed my hand to the cut gently. It wasn't deep- it probably could have been an accident, if she'd fallen down while running from those goons.

In the second it took for me to heal the wound, my mouth slipped into a frown. Why had they been chasing a _child?_

"Why are you out here in the middle of the night?" I asked in a gentle whisper.

"I was trying to escape." Her voice was the same as her expression. Emotionless, as if she had no spirit. It was a child's tone, but so monotone.

I stood up and looked down at her. "Why were those two chasing you?"

Her dull eyes found mine, but they didn't show anything as she spoke. "They were going to use me as a sacrifice." Something about the words, possibly the fact that she didn't sound afraid, made me shudder.

"Sacrifice?" I whispered.

She didn't reply. "Why did you save me?"

The question caught me off guard. "I… umm.." I shook my head, trying to clear it. "I heard them laughing, and it sounded like they were ganging up on someone, so I went to check it out."

"You weren't involved before. You would have been better off letting me die."

I glared at her. "No way I was going to let them take you like that. That's not how I do things. Why are you out here by yourself?"

"There's no one else." She wasn't fazed.

"Your family?" I asked.

"They're all gone. They killed them."

My eyes widened, then I looked away, anger coursing through me. My eyes narrowed. "Little girl, why are they doing this to you?" I met her eyes again, and she was staring right through me despite the urgency in my voice. "Why do they want to sacrifice you?"

There was a short pause before she spoke. "I'm not entirely sure I should tell you that just yet."

I sighed. "Where do you stay?"

"Different places. The forest, mostly. But they've gotten more efficient at finding me." I realized for the first time that there _was _something in her voice. It sounded _weak. _Like the voice of a dying person as she spoke her final words. Lost, almost, like there was no hope left.

"Look, kid, you can't stay out here like this. How long will it be before they actually _kill _you?" I demanded. She continued her faraway gaze, and I sighed. "All right. Come back to the village with me."

She looked at me. "Are you sure you want to do that? It's not the best move- you don't even know anything about me."

"All right, then. Tell me. What's your name?"

"Sachiko. But I already know everything I need to about you?"

This started me. "W-what do you mean?"

She didn't hesitate. "You are Saeko Uchiha, nineteen years old, a ninja of the Lead, born May 15th. The one you look up to is Ayami Hatake, and your b-"

I cut her off there, narrowing my eyes. "How do you know that?" I hissed, the hint of annoyance in my voice hidden behind the genuine curiosity.

"I see things." It took me a moment to realize that she was admitting something.

I put my hands on my hips, shook my head, and sighed. "All right, Sachiko. I think I'll keep you after all. Come along, then." A grin spread across my face as I started through the forest again. She followed silently, and I could barely hear her soft footsteps. It's not like I could just _leave her out here, _or anything. The problem was- where was I going to _keep _her? An idea whipped through my mind, but I tried to push it away. NO, it was best if I kept it a secret. The house next to ours was empty. At the moment…

"Wait here," I said. We'd made it through the village without being seen, and now we were standing outside of Naruto's office. "If anyone comes, hide."

I knocked on the door.

"Come in," Naruto said almost immediately. I crossed his office and pulled my backpack off of my shoulder, rummaging about until I found the response scroll. I laid it on his desk.

"You had one more day, you know."

I shrugged. "Got homesick, left early, and now I'm back. No one went insane while I was away?"

He grinned. "Oh, maybe one or two."

Stifling a yawn, I glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. "Oh well. 'Night."

I slipped out of the room quickly. In the hallway, I looked around, and Sachiko was nowhere to be seen. "Sachiko?" I whispered. I hadn't heard any movement while I was in the office- had she run off?

"Yes?" Came the colorless voice from behind me.

Gasping, I whirled around. She was staring straight ahead blankly. Two things bothered me. One, she shouldn't be old enough to poof around like that. Also, it didn't _seem _like she had appeared the way most ninja did. So, the second issue- how had she done it? It was as if she'd been standing there, invisible, then quickly gained her color back, materializing out of seemingly nowhere.

I sighed. "All right. Let's go." I was pretty sure I'd be able to hide her in my room. For the night, anyway. As for tomorrow…. Well, I'd think about that tomorrow.

Everyone was asleep already by the time I got home. I turned the key in the lock, and motioned for Sachiko to follow as I crept up the stairs. She followed without a noise, and I closed the door behind her.

On the inside of my room, I looked around. The size wasn't the probably The fact that there was only one bed… There was a large, mushroom chair in my closet, if I could find it. _I _thought it was big and comfortable when I was her age…

"I guess I could try to find that…" I said to myself.

"No. Don't worry about that- I don't sleep."

Why didn't this surprise me? "You don't sleep," I echoed to myself. "Never?"

"No." She walked over and sat down on the windowsill a few feet from my bed, staring at the wall across from her.

I sighed. "Well, I _do." _I slipped into my pajamas quickly. "All right," I said when I was done. Then I crawled onto the bed and pulled the covers up to my chin, my back facing her. "_If _you're still up, wake me up at dawn."

She didn't say anything, and I slipped into unconsciousness.

In my dream, I was walking along a dirt path in the middle of a vast forest, not a clue where I was going. I was just _walking_, with no destination in mind. But then I came to a fork in the road. The path on the right wove its way into a darker patch of forest. The one on the left seemed the same as the one I'd been walking on at first glance, but I could sense that there was something special about it.

Both paths were tempting.

The one on the left filled me with a desire to protect. The one on the right gave me the urge to discover. But what did they _mean? _Staying out of Sachiko's business or not? No, after tonight, it was too late for that. Besides, if I squinted into the forest straight ahead, I could see the village. Another urge to protect, but also the urge to keep a promise.

So now it was a three way fork, and I didn't know which path to chose. A breeze whistled through, making the branches shiver.

And the dream faded into darkness.

"Wake up."

I groaned. "I'm up, I'm up." I threw the covers aside and stumbled to my feet. I wasn't expected home for a few hours, and even if Naruto told my parents that I'd come back last night, there was nothing suspicious about leaving the house early. I got dressed quickly, then crept into the silent hall.

I motioned for her to follow. In the kitchen, I downed a glass of water, then led her out the door. When we reached the training grounds, I stopped and turned around to face her.

"Now. Tell me everything."

This time, she did not protest.


	42. Sequel!

**Ok, the sequel, thanks to the never-ceasing help of thefourthhokage ( ), officially has a title: The Child of Ill Omen. Chapter two will be posted as soon as you're done reading this. Please be sure to check it out. **

**-Saro**


	43. Rewriting

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Rewriting!

Okay, so I've mentioned it in "Child of Ill Omen", but I've finally gotten off of my lazy ass- or rather, onto it, and started rewriting "Thoughts of a Broken Family"! I've looked back over it, and honestly- there's a _lot _of room for improvement. So I'm going back and rewriting it with new twists, a –hopefully improved- plot, and different personalities! Plus, I think my writing might have gotten a _little _better since I've starte that.

So, would anyone be interested in me going back and stitching up "Thoughts"?

Also, I know it's been a while, but if you can remember anything you didn't like that I could touch up, feel free to let me know!

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